A Really Short History of Nearly Everything

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything

Written by: Bill Bryson
Recommended Ages: 8-12

Back in 2003, bestselling author Bill Bryson published a book about life, the universe and everything called A Short History of Nearly Everything. It came in just over 500 pages and explained science in a very understandable, very readable manner...for adults. Now, he has come up with A Really Short History of Nearly Everything, which every third through sixth grade classroom should consider having on their shelves.

From it's opening paragraph, you realize you are in for a treat: "This is a book about how IT happened--in particular, how we went from there being nothing at all to there being something. And then, how a little of that something turned into us, and also some of what happened in between--and since."

A Really Short History of Nearly Everything is divided into six sections:

• Lost in the Cosmos
• The Size of the Earth
• A New Age Dawns
• Dangerous Planet
• Life Itself
• The Road to Us

Each section then has mini chapters devoted to a particular subject. For instance, in Lost in the Cosmos, one of the chapters is called The Big Bang. Spread out on a two page layout are lots and lots of facts about the Big Bang, presented in an appealing way. For instance, eight of the facts are on eight planet-sized circles. Surrounding the planet facts, are four other paragraphs with lots more information all about the Big Bang. Here's a sample:

"Most of what we think we know about the early moments of the universe is thanks to an idea called 'inflation theory." Imagine that a fraction of a moment after the dawn of creation, the universe underwent a sudden dramatic expansion, that it inflated at a huge speed. In just one million million million million millionths of a second - the universe changed from something you could hold in your hand to something at least 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 times bigger."

While I imagine there are some kids who will sit down and read A Really Short History of Nearly Everything cover to cover, I think the vast majority will use it to look things up. This is a book to have on hand as questions arise. It has an extensive index where you can find information about everything from amino acids to Fritz Zwicky (the astronomer who coined the term 'supernova'). Bill Bryson has done an admirable job of taking generally difficult topics such as Newton's Bulge Theory or Einstein's Theory of Relativity and making them understandable, and even entertaining. There are helpful illustrations and photographs that are sure to draw a reader's attention to the subject at hand.

The last three chapters are titled "Humans Take Over," "What Now," and "Goodbye." In them, Bryson talks about the impact humans have had on the planet, and reminds us to take care of it. He addresses issues of extinction, pollution and global warming, ending with this: "We really are at the beginning of it all. The trick, of course, is to make sure we never find the end. And that will require a lot more than a series of lucky breaks."

Anatole: A Mouse Magnifique!

Anatole

Written by: Eve Titus
Illustrated by: Paul Galdone
Recommended Ages: 4-8

Long before Ratatouille or Despereaux, there was another famous Parisian mouse named Anatole. Anatole was first published in 1956 and was re-released in 2006. It's a charming story about an industrious mouse with a true sense of honor.

Anatole lives in "a small mouse village near Paris." One day, he overhears some humans talking disparagingly about mice. He is quite upset to hear that humans don't like mice, and feels that his honor has been insulted. He decides then and there that he will no longer break into human's houses to steal food. Instead, he sets out to do something about it, and becomes the chief cheese taster for the struggling Duval Cheese Manufacturer. Of course, the only way that a mouse can become a chief cheese taster is in secret. So Anatole leaves signed notes by each cheese, with suggestions on how to make it better. The cheeses manufacturer follows Anatole's suggestions, and soon his business is turned around, and he is regarded as the best cheese maker in Paris. If only they knew how to find the mysterious Anatole and thank him...

Eve Titus's prose is quite lyrical, with a fair amount of French sprinkled throughout the story. Anatole himself wears a beret and blue jacket with a red scarf, all of which give him an air of panache. He is also father and husband to a lovely little family of mice, who have names like Doucette, Georgette, Paulette and Claude. All of these are sweet touches and create an overall feeling of being in another place and another time.

The illustrations by Paul Galdone are done in black and white, along with the French flag colors of red, white and blue. There are wonderful little details on each page that are worth taking the time to point out and talk about. They are tres magnifique! I'm not the only one who thinks so. Mr. Galdone won a Caldecott Honor award in 1956.

BookNosher Tidbit: Not only did Paul Galdone win a Caldecott Honor award for Anatole in 1956, but he won again for the sequel Anatole and the Cat. Both books were recently re-issued and are available again.

BookNosher Activity: After reading Anatole, I found that I had a hankering for some cheese. I think that a fun activity would be to have a cheese tasting with your child and introduce some different cheeses to them. You could have them describe those differences to you in one or two adjectives such as salty, smooth, sharp. Wouldn't this be a great way to create a lasting memory around a timeless book?

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything!!!!

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything

Written by: Lenore Look
Illustrated by: Anne Wilsdorf

Lenore Look has created a memorable character with a lot of moxie in Ruby Lu. Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything is the second book in what I hope will be a long-running series. It's an early chapter book, perfect for emerging readers in first through fourth grade. Like another of Lenore Look's chapter books--Alvin Ho--it's a good read-aloud book for these ages too.

Ruby Lu, Empress of Everything begins in the spring of Ruby's second grade year. Her cousin Flying Duck has just immigrated to the United States with her family, and is living with Ruby's family. Ruby could not be more excited, for she gets the role of tour guide to Flying Duck. She's the one who gets to show her all the ordinary things of her city.

Another thing about Flying Duck that's fascinating to Ruby Lu is that she reads lips. After an accident at age four where she burst her eardrums, she was deaf. So while she is able to talk, she also reads lips and signs in Cantonese. Ruby thinks that "Lip-reading is a very useful skill. It comes in handy when you want to watch TV, but the TV is supposed to be turned off. And it comes in handy if you are outside looking in and your parents are inside talking about you."

Most importantly, Ruby gets appointed as Smile Buddy at school. This is the person who helps a new child feel welcome and shows them around. It's a job she's coveted since kindergarten, and comes complete with a big badge that she proudly wears pinned to her shirt.

As you might imagine, the newness of having a cousin living with your family, soon begins to fade. Suddenly, only Cantonese is spoken at home. Chopsticks replace the silverware. And Oscar, Ruby's baby brother, is able to sign more than he can speak. Ruby is ready to send Flying Duck back to China.

What makes Ruby so endearing is the earnestness with which she tackles everything that comes her way. For instance, more than anything she wants glasses. So much so, that she tapes an eye chart above her bed at night, memorizing it, so that she'll pass and get glasses (it's a great twist on how kids might perceive the purpose of eye exams).

There's a pivotal playground scene, where Ruby's on-again/off-again friend Emma calls Flying Duck an alien and start saying that "she's come to snatch us all away and use us in medical experiments! And she's already got you in her clutches!" Needless to say, Ruby defends her cousin and a scuffle ensues. Parents are called into the principal's office and the recommendation is made that both Ruby and Flying Duck attend summer school to help ease the transition they are going through.

So second grade ends on a less than stellar note for Ruby, and she begins the summer with a to-do list:

"My 12-Step Summer Plans:
1. Hold breth in swiming skool.
2. Put face in water.*
3. Blo bubels.*
4. Be frends again with Emma.*
5. Play with Flying Duck
6. Play with Oscar

Reluctantly she added:

7. Go to summer skool.*

*maybe"

There are lots of fun incidents throughout the summer that will further endear Ruby to her readers. She faces her biggest fear-the water-and ultimately, though not easily, emerges as a swimmer. It's an important lesson for all kids, because it's clear that up until that point, she had not been successful in the pool, and dreaded it. As the summer passes by, she is able to cross things off of her "12-Step Summer Plans" list. Her friendships with both Flying Duck and Emma go through rough patches, but ultimately survive and thrive.

Lenore Look has created a winner with Ruby Lu. The breezy writing makes each chapter fly by, leaving the reader craving for more. The book ends with just enough of a teaser to make you think (hope!) that a book about Ruby's experiences in third grade will soon be on its way.

There's a glossary at the end of the book that is funny and educational: "Ruby's Amazing Glossary and Guide to Important Words." Here are a few terms:

"Cantonese-Language needed to order yummy Chinese Food. But also shouted by parents when you are busted. Also used in Chinese school."

"goose bumps-A radar system for detecting anything scary or dangerous or wonderful or breathtakingly beautiful."

"Poh~Poh-(sounds like "paw paw") Grandma on your mother's side."

A Halloween Book and a Glimpse into Tasha Tudor's Life

Pumpkin Moonshine
Written and Illustrated by: Tasha Tudor
Recommended Ages: 2-6

I recently discovered a very sweet (and very old) Halloween book for young children (2 and 3 year olds). If you have a child celebrating one of their first Halloweens, then by all means check out Pumpkin Moonshine by Tasha Tudor.

Pumpkin Moonshine was originally published in 1938, and was Tasha Tudor's first book. It tells the story of Sylvie Ann who wants to make a pumpkin moonshine (jack-o-lantern) for Halloween, and sets out to find the biggest pumpkin she can. The book follows Sylvie's quest as she heads up a large hill and across the cornfields. Once she sees the pumpkin, she has to roll it home because it is too large to carry. But it escapes her grasp and rolls down the hill, frightening the various farm animals and knocking Mr. Hemmelskamp to the ground. Finally it comes to a halt, and Sylvie Ann and her Grandpa carve a fierce "pumpkin moonshine" with "a big grinning mouth with horrid crooked teeth."

Pumpkin Moonshine is a small book made for tiny hands, with text on one page and detailed pictures on the other. The illustrations are very sweet and hearken back to a much simpler time. There's nothing scary about this book, and it's a gentle introduction to one of the nicer traditions of Halloween: carving jack-o-lanterns. You really can't go wrong with Pumpkin Moonshine.

If you and your child discover that you like the text and illustrations of Tasha Tudor, then please check out some of her other picture books. Here are few to consider: 1 is One, Around the Year and Corgiville Fair.

While you are at it, you might want to pick up The Private World of Tasha Tudor, a rich collection of photographs (by Richard Brown) and text (written by Ms. Tudor), that detail the world that she lived in. Tasha Tudor was born in 1919 and only just died last year. However, she always felt more comfortable in another century:

"I'm drawn to the old ways, convinced that I lived before, in the 1830's. Everything comes so easily to me from that period of that time: threading a loom, growing flax, spinning, milking a cow. Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. When I die, I'm going right back to 1830."

The book chronicles her life on her farm in Vermont. There are beautiful photographs of her garden and the animals, as well as Tasha Tudor herself. She dressed in long dresses, her hair in a kerchief, and was often barefoot. She was the antithesis to the breakneck pace we seem to live these days. I found this book strangely comforting, and it was a reminder to put on a cup of tea, pick up a book and slow things down. I had to keep reminding myself that until last year she lived with us, not back in the 1880's. The book is full of her gentle, and sometimes humorous, wisdom:

"Life isn't long enough to do all you could accomplish. And what a privilege even to be alive. In spite of all the pollutions and horrors, how beautiful this world is. Supposing you only saw the stars once every year. Think what you would think. The wonder of it!"

"Gardening has untold rewards. You never have to go on a diet. At age seventy-six I can still wear my wedding dress and still chin myself. I've never been depressed in my whole life and I've never had a headache. They must be awful. I attribute it to goat's milk and gardening."

"I'm perfectly content. I have no other desires than to live right here with my dogs and my goats and my birds."

"If I have a philosophy, it is one best expressed by Henry David Thoreau: 'If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.' That is my credo. It is absolutely true. It is my whole life summed up."

I think Tasha Tudor would be a fascinating person for a child in the fourth or fifth grade to research and write a report on. I highly recommend checking out The Private World of Tasha Tudor, for a brief glimpse into her intriguing and old-fashioned world.

Winter's Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again

Winter's Tail: How One Little Dolphin Learned To Swim Again

Told by: Juliana Hatkoff, Isabella Hatkoff and Craig Katkoff
Recommended Ages: 4-12

This delightful story is about how one baby dolphin overcame what could have been a life-ending disability, and emerged stronger than ever. Kids and adults alike will appreciate her remarkable story of overcoming adversity.

Back in December 2005, a fisherman was fishing off the coast of Florida and noticed a baby bottlenose dolphin struggling in the lines of a crab trap. He managed to set her free, but she was too hurt and exhausted to swim away. The fisherman called Florida's Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and watched over her until the rescue team arrived a few hours later. They took her across Florida to the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.

What follows is the remarkable recovery of the little dolphin they named Winter, due to the cold conditions the day they found her. The trainers figured she was only two or three months old at the time, an age that dolphins are still drinking their mother's milk. So they bottle-fed her a special milk formula developed for zoo animals. Under the patient guidance of the head trainer Abby and other trainers, Winter ate and began to gain weight.

Unfortunately, her tail had been severely damaged and pieces of it began to flake off. Eventually, Winter lost her tail, and the trainers wondered if she would be able to swim without it. She surprised them all by teaching herself to swim, but not like other dolphins. Instead she moved her stump side to side (more like a fish or a shark), instead of up and down like a dolphin. While the trainers were impressed, they were also worried that she would injure her backbone.

Winter became quite a celebrity at the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, especially after NBC's The Today Show filmed a story about her. She became an inspiration to all, but most especially to people who had lost or been born without a limb. She charmed everyone who came to see her. However, the trainers were still worried about the way she swam because her muscles weren't as flexible as they should be.

Fortunately, a man named Kevin Carroll heard about Winter and as a creator of prostheses, thought he could help. He and his team fashioned together a prosthetic tail and sleeve that matched the natural motion of an actual dolphin tail. Then Abby and the other trainers worked to prepare Winter to get used to the feel of wearing a prosthesis. And at this point, it appears to be a success. Winter seems to like her tail, and wears it every day for a short period of time. The trainers' goal is for her to wear it enough to keep her backbone healthy and body flexible.

Kids and adults will love this story about Winter. The photos in the book chronicle her remarkable journey and the people who have helped her along the way. Click here to see an inspiring video about Winter.

BookNosher Tidbit: The same authors have created several books about animals overcoming adversity. Here's a list: Owen and Mzee: The True Story of a Remarkable Friendship; How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World and Looking for Miza.

BookNosher Activity: Scholastic is sponsoring a contest for kids to write about their favorite animal hero in 200 words or less. First prize is a chance to visit Winter at her home in Clearwater, Florida, one night's stay at a hotel, $500 travel voucher, a Winter prize pack and a Nintendo DS Game system! 10 runners up with receive a copy of Winter's Tail, a Winter's Tail Nintendo DS game and a Winter plush doll!
Click here for more details.

Note: I was contacted by a publicist to see if I would review Winter's Tale. Typically, I check to see if the book is already in our library system and if it is, tell them I will look at it there. In this case, Winter's Tale was not. So she sent me the book. I am donating it to our public library so that the children in my town will get a chance to read about the little dolphin. I highly recommend you read this heartwarming tale.

Roxaboxen

Roxaboxen
Written by: Alice McLerran
Illustrated by: Barbara Cooney
Recommended Ages:

I spent last weekend in Santa Fe, which reminded me so much of the beautiful Arizona desert I grew up in. This got me thinking about one of my family's favorite picture books: Roxaboxen. Roxaboxen is a celebration of the imaginary world that children often live in, and a great reminder to adults that sometimes all a child needs is the chance to play outdoors.

Roxaboxen takes place in a desert where, at first glance, the landscape appears to be quite bare. But it is not bare to the children who live there. For them, Roxaboxen is a place that through the power of make believe, turns into a magical world. As the children outline the streets with stones, the town begins to grow and grow. There's a main street, a town hall, a bakery and two ice cream parlors. ("In Roxaboxen you can eat all the ice cream you want.") The children build houses, which start off quite plain, but take on more and more rooms as time goes on. There's a jail and a cemetery in Roxaboxen, but the only grave is that of a dead lizard.

In Roxaboxen, everybody has a car; all you need is something round for a steering wheel. But you'd better watch out, because there's a speed limit for cars and if you don't mind it, you'll end up in jail. Even better, everyone has a horse. All you need for a horse is a stick and some kind of bridle. (And there's no speed limit for people on horses!)

Barbara Cooney's illustrations lend the perfect touch to Roxaboxen. She captures the essence of the desert perfectly. In particular, I love the ocotillos with the brilliant red flowers at their tips and the colorful desert sky at sunset. It whisked me right back to my own childhood in Arizona.

You can see that Roxaboxen is a "quiet book." On the one hand, there's not a lot going on, and yet there's so much going on. I love this book because it celebrates a childhood filled with play, instead of one filled with "things." My kids all loved Roxaboxen when they were younger. I think it's a book that will inspire your kids to go outside and create an imaginary world in your backyard.


BookNosher Tidbit: Roxaboxen was based on true stories told by the author's mother about how she and her friends would play. There is a real park in Yuma, AZ dedicated to Roxaboxen. Here's a link to find out more.

My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie Accidental Zombie

My Rotten Life (Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie)
Written by: David Lubar
Recommended Ages: 8-12

If you like books that make you laugh out loud AND feel empathy for what the main character is going through, then look no further than My Rotten Life: Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie. Kids will identify with Nathan's plight from the first page until the last, as they devour the book to see what happens next.

Nathan is a fifth-grader who is having a bad day. Actually, it starts out as a bad day and only gets worse. First, the girl of his dreams--Shawna Lanchester--humiliates him in front of the entire cafeteria by publicly announcing that she's not inviting him to her annual Halloween party. Later on in gym class, he is the last person to be picked for a team. To add insult to injury, he comes in dead last in the mile run. Finally, he publicly humiliates himself at a video game so that all the kids start calling him a "vidiot." All of these things sound about as bad as it can get for a ten-year-old who is more than aware of where he falls in the social hierarchy of fifth grade.

After school, a new girl in town-Abigail-tells him that her uncle (a mad scientist) is working on a cure to get rid of bad feelings. She thinks that after Nathan's rotten day he would be the perfect subject. So off they go to the lab, only to have the serum mistakenly spilled all over him. And wouldn't you know it, Nathan begins to turn into a zombie.

The book continues with some amusing stories of what happens while one is slowly turning into a half-dead zombie. And quite honestly, life is somewhat better for Nathan. He can't feel pain, so he excels at sports because his asthma doesn't kick in. He doesn't need sleep, so he stays up all night secretly playing video games (and gets good at them). Nonetheless, he knows he doesn't want to live his life as a zombie, so he and his friends, Abigail and Mookie, go in search for a cure.

Along the way, you are drawn into the life of fifth-graders, complete with the popular group, the skaters, the nerds and the jocks. Kids will identify (and laugh) as these hierarchies are exposed and poked fun of. The true meaning of friendship is also explored in a totally convincing, yet fun, fifth-grade way. Finally, Nathan's home life is portrayed realistically: Mom is loving, if not a little neurotic, and video games are not allowed: "Mom thought games were too violent. Dad thought they were a bad investment."

My Rotten Life is written in a lively, very readable style. From the first sentence to the last, readers will be drawn in. Here's the first paragraph:

"It's no fun having your heart ripped from your body, slammed to the floor, and stomped into a puddle of quivering red mush. It's even less fun when it happens three times in one afternoon."

If you have a child for whom reading is not their first choice for an activity, try My Rotten Life. The slightly gross humor and easy-to-read text are sure to reel them in. On the other hand, if you have a child who loves to read, they'll probably read My Rotten Life in an afternoon (laughing all the while). Plus, the last paragraph hints that there's more to come:

"Other than that, things are pretty much normal for the only zombie in Belgosi Upper Elementary. Or, at least, they were normal until the secret agent from BUM showed up. But that's another story."

BookNosher Activity: There's a Reader's Guide at the end of the book to enhance My Rotten Life. Check it out! There are some really interesting individual and classroom activities for teachers and parents to turn this fun read, into something educational.