Tricking the Tallyman; Pippo the Fool; Roman Diary; You Are Weird; Food for Thought; Big George; and B Is for Battle Cry

E Davies, Jacqueline; illustrated by S. D. Schindler. Tricking the Tallyman : The Great Census Shenanigans of 1790, unpaged. Alfred A. Knopf, 2009.
When Phineas Bump rides into the small Vermont village of Tunbridge, he encounters residents who have mistaken ideas about the purpose of the first census of the United States and try to skew his count in their favor. After two counts that were first too small and then too big, the townsfolk persuade Mr. Bump to count them one last time when they learn that the census was to determine taxes and soldiers owed to the government as well as their representation in that government. The author includes one page of nonfiction information about the first census and types of questions asked.
EL – ADVISABLE.
List : US Birth of Nation (ERA)


E Fern, Tracey E.; illustrated by Pau Estrada. Pippo the Fool, unpaged. Charlesbridge, 2009.
When Filippo Brunelleschi hears about his town’s contest to design a dome for the cathedral, he sees the chance he’s been waiting for. His designs for peculiar machines that no one needs and sketches of outlandish structures no one wants to build have earned him the nickname Pippo the Fool, but he knows he can solve this new architectural challenge. Based on the true story of how the cathedral of Florence gained a dome, Pippo meets the challenge and becomes known as Pippo the Genius. This story has beautiful illustrations and could be used for a character-development lesson.
EL – ESSENTIAL; MS – ADVISABLE.
Lists : Middle Ages & Renaissance (ERA); Art (HOOK); TA (HOOK).


E Platt, Richard; illustrated by David Parkins. Roman Diary : The Journal of Iliona of Mytilini, Who Was Captured by Pirates and Sold as a Slave in Rome, AD 107, 64 pgs. Candlewick Press, 2009.
With a larger-than-typical page size, two-column text format, and graphic-novel illustrations, this fictional diary of a young Greek girl who works as a slave in Rome gives the reader an educational glimpse into life in ancient Rome. One learns about common practices of the day, such as the slave trade, education, public baths, social classes, military ranks, the senate, indoor plumbing, religion, gladiator fights, theater, and dining. The last six pages contain nonfiction information about all these topics, as well as a timeline of Roman history. Includes glossary and index. There are enough facts and great illustrations to make this of interest to some middle-school students.
EL – REQUIRED; MS – ADVISABLE.
Lists : Ancient Civilizations (ERA); Reluctant Readers (FORM).


612 Swanson, Diane; illustrated by Boake Kathy. You Are Weird : Your Body’s Peculiar Parts and Funny Functions, 40 pgs. Kids Can Press, 2009.
Single-spread chapters talk about unusual aspects of the human body : skin, canine teeth, appendix, and so on. Space is too limited for in-depth studies, but readers learn interesting and little-known facts about our bodies. Each spread includes a “freaky fact” and a sidebar that often contains a related experiment or observation the reader can try that relates to the topic. The illustrations have the life-like look of computer animation, and include a lot of expression and humor. Includes glossary and index.
Complete contents include : bacteria, skin, sweat glands, body hair, goose bumps, sinuses, wisdom teeth, canine teeth, eyeballs, wiggling ears, nose, appendix, plantaris and palmaris (superfluous) muscles, tail bone, finger nails, and toes.
Language, Sex, Violence – G.
EL – ADVISABLE; MS – OPTIONAL.
Lists : Factoids (FORM); Health & Medicine (HOOK).


641.3 Robbins, Ken. Food for Thought : The Stories Behind the Things We Eat, 45 pgs. Roaring Brook Press, 2009.
Robbins relates famous stories, anecdotes, historical highlights, and nutritional tidbits for several common foods : apples, oranges, corn, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes, pomegranates, grapes, and mushrooms. Four pages devoted to each food, this book leaves the reader with some interesting and, most likely, previously unknown trivia. Each chapter is illustrated with photos and paintings.
EL – ESSENTIAL; MS – ADVISABLE.
Lists : Factoids (FORM); Foods (HOOK).


973.4 Rockwell, Anne; illustrated by Matt Phelan. Big George : How a Shy Boy Became President Washington, unpaged. Harcourt, 2009.
This picture book introduces the reader to George Washington, from a shy boy, through his teens and brother’s death, to his time as a young officer during the French and Indian War. By the time the American Revolution begins, Washington has the best experience, and is the best prepared to accept the responsibility of leadership. It talks about his innovative battle tactics and touches on the Delaware crossing, Valley Forge, and Yorktown. The author’s note includes additional information about the stain on the flag of this new country – slavery.
EL – ESSENTIAL.
Lists : US Birth of Nation (ERA); Picture Book (FORM).


973.7 Bauer, Patricia; illustrated by David Geister. B Is for Battle Cry : A Civil War Alphabet, unpaged. Sleeping Bear Press, 2009.
For each letter, Bauer has written a four-line stanza that introduces a topic related to the Civil War and also would work as a verse in Stephen Foster’s Civil War-era song “Hard Times Come Again No More.” The more significant portion of the text fills the outer third of each page and provides explanatory information about each of the 26 topics. Accompanied with beautiful paintings, this text is a very satisfactory introduction to the Civil War. The actual stanzas, however, are too choppy and forced to work well as poems, and without a copy of Foster’s song, it is impossible to see how well they might work as a song. Contains glossary.
EL – ESSENTIAL; MS – OPTIONAL.
Lists : US Civil War (ERA); Factoids (FORM); Picture Book (FORM).