Meltzer, Milton. 1992. THE AMAZING POTATO: A STORY IN WHICH THE INCAS, CONQUISTADORS, MARIE ANTOINETTE, THOMAS JEFFERSON, WARS, FAMINES, IMMIGRANTS, AND FRENCH FRIES ALL PLAY A PART. New York: HarperCollins Children�s Books. ISBN 0060208074.
From the Forward where Meltzer explains how he became interested in the topic of the potato after finding �a fat brown paperback called The History and Social Influence of the Potato.�, to the Introduction where he opens with �Just the other day you walked into a McDonald�s.�, an elementary audience would be able to relate to Meltzer�s enthusiasm for the potato. This book can be read as a narrative from front to back or looking at the Table of Contents, you could choose a point of interest to read about. Meltzer, also intermingles the chapters with trivia such as �He�s a cold potato,� we say of some people. The expression comes from the fact that when a cooked potato gets cold, it loses the good earthy flavor it has when freshly cooked.� (pg 35) From chapter to chapter, the importance of the potato is expounded. You walk away from this book knowing the potato �provides nearly perfect nutrition.� (pg 75) By the end of the book, the potato truly becomes, �The Amazing Potato.� You know it is a plant full of nutrition, it can be �grown almost anywhere� (pg 76), ��yields more food energy per acre than grains do� (pg 76), and has sustained the worlds population when all other crops have failed. Meltzer draws the reader from the cover which captures a readers curiosity with names such as Thomas Jefferson, Incas, and French Fries.� Kirkus Reviews expands this by saying �Meltzer skillfully dramatizes the interrelationships among different fields of knowledge and the far-reaching effects a single species can have on the fortunes of mankind. Well-chosen b&w illustrations, mostly historical; bibliography; excellent source notes; index. (Nonfiction. 9+) -- Copyright �1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.� Looking at the basic criteria for a good nonfiction book, this book seems to cover the gammott; Interest: Meltzer uses language and style that brings young readers to the text; Accuracy: from the Forward to show the how he became interested and collected information for a period of time before writing, to the Bibliography stating all his sources, to the photographs and sketches, to the �A Note on Sources� (pg 105-109), breaking down chapter by chapter as to where the information was taken from, to the �About the Author� (pg 117), you put this book down knowing you have read an accurate account of the origins of the potato, which covers Content: a book with a focused text; Style: written in a language elementary can follow as a story or just to puruse basic facts; Oganization: you can get a sense of the book as a story narrative, done in a chronological order looking at the potato from its beginnings to how we view and use the potato today; Format: pictures add the text, chapters are not too long, but direct and full of pertinent information, and with a cover that invites curiosity by large title and surrounding pictures.
Simon, Seymour. 1980. STRANGE MYSTERIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD. New York: Four Winds Press. ISBN 0590076396.
Being one of Simon�s older published books, his trademark of photo essay book style has not come into play here. The cover most certainly grabs the reader. Simon�s use of the words �Strange,� �Mysteries� and the picture of the glass skull, definitely pull the reader to want to open the cover and explore what is between the pages. Simon uses mind grabbing subtitles for chapter headings such as �It�s Raining Frogs and Fishes�, �Ghost Ship�, and �Photographing the Invisible.� Taking ten strange mystery events from around the world, Simon gives the reader a birds-eye view into the speculations surrounding each of the ten mysteries. Each chapter is written as almost a �Who done it� that leaves the reader wondering just how, why, and could they find other sources to explore these topics further. Who carved such an intricate crystal skull? Is it truly somewhat haunted? Some have heard it make sounds, change in color and even give off an odor not totally identifiable. This nonfiction book is written like a good murder mystery with a table of contents to give the reader an idea of it�s contents, with the style of writing setting the mystery tone for the entire book. Simon credits his photos, but does not substantiate where he gathered the information in a bibliography. In this book, he intersperses that information into each chapter when he states things such as, �Here is a quote from the July 12, 1873�� School Library Journal sums the book up well when it states, ��Simon's enticingly simple and clear descriptions make the subjects accessible with no unsubstantiated speculations. Worn-out copies of the 1980 edition can be safely replaced with this updated version. The mysteries it describes are as intriguing now as they were when they first became mysteries.?Ann G. Brouse, Big Flats Branch Library, NY
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc
Freedman, Russell. 2002. CONFUCIUS: THE GOLDEN RULE. Illustrated by Frederic Clement. New York: Scholastic Press. ISBN 0439139570.
Freedman brings this biography to life as he takes you for a walk in Confucius shoes. You get a sense of who Confucius was from the very beginning when Freedman says, �Though he offered many bold ideas for reform, his advice was ignored by the rulers of the day.� (pg 5) He describes Confucius as a man who was �a homely giant with warts on his nose, two long front teeth that protruded over his lower lip, and a wispy beard. What people remembered most, however, wasn�t his odd appearance but his undeniable charm.� (pg 6) You see a man who could have been an outcast just for his appearance, but his common sense and intellect overshadowed any outward deformities. Freedman goes on to describe a man who pushed the limits of his time by continually vocalizing his distaste for the current leadership. By saying things such as �You can�t expect anything from men who stuff themselves with food all day and never use their minds�Even gamblers do something, which is surely better than doing nothing at all.� (pg 13 and 15) Anyone of lesser stature would have been killed in Confucius day. One very profound thing Confucius said was, �When people are educated, distinctions between classes disappear.� (pg 15). This is a beautiful book from the cover with its calligraphy title and seemingly papyrus cover, to illustrations looking as if they are made of wood with beautiful old world paintings, to the end papers with a collection of Confucius sayings, you are drawn to the time and to the person. You gain an understanding of the man and his teachings with each section. This book meets the criteria for a good nonfiction. It is organized well, chronologically sectioned, short sections which would not be overwhelming for the elementary student, the Author�s Note at the end explaining how he aquired much of his information, followed by a Note of Sources which suggests further sources for reading, and a list of quotation sources. School Library Journal gives Freedman a two thumbs up when it states, �Freedman compellingly conveys the profundity of his thoughts.� �The world today could hardly do better than to ponder the wisdom of this sage.
Patricia D. Lothrop, St. George's School, Newport, RI
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.