Real life stories make real good reading
One of the many awesome things about children is that they are curious about everything, eager to learn and are fired with imagination.
Reading books to children helps stimulate all of those qualities and more. Children are just as interested in real stories as they are in imagined ones, providing both kinds of stories are well written.
Such is the case with the books reviewed today. Whether it's learning about what it was like to grow up in a Communist country, who created the giant balloons for the Macy's parade, or what life is like for an emperor penguin, today's recommended books are fascinating stories.
Whet a child's appetite for books and learning by reading aloud every day; it's time very well spent.
Books to BorrowThe following book is available at many public libraries.
“The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain” written and illustrated by Peter Sis, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 52 pages; read aloud: age 9 to adult; read yourself: age 10 to adult.In 1948, Peter Sis was born in Czechoslovakia. That same year the Soviets took control of his country and closed the borders. “I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side — the Communist side — of the Iron Curtain.”In school and outside of his home, young artist Peter was told what to draw and what to think. At first he didn't question what he was being told, but later “he found out there were things he wasn't told. This was the time of brainwashing.”Throughout, there were many people who wanted to be free from Communism, and as Peter grew, he was one of them.A deeply personal memoir of the author/artist's life in Communist Czechoslovakia and his ultimate defection is brought forward through his rich, complex art and never-before-seen private photos and journal entries.A cautionary tale, “The Wall” provides deep reflection on freedom and subtly teaches what transpires when freedom is compromised.Perhaps now more than ever, “The Wall” is a critically important book for Americans of all ages.
<B>Library:</B> Evans City Public Library, 204 S. Jackson St., Evans City<B>Library Director: </B>Judith Pfeifer<B>Children's Librarian:</B> Patricia Pflug<B>Choices this week: “Chickens Aren't the Only Ones”</B> by Ruth Heller; <B>“Bear's New Friend”</B> by Karma Wilson; <B>“No Talking”</B> by Andrew Clements<B>Books to Buy</B>The following books are available at favorite bookstores.<B>“Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade” </B>written and illustrated by Melissa Sweet, Houghton Mifflin, 2011, 36 pages, $16.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 4 and older; read yourself: age 7 and 8.Every Thanksgiving morning the streets of New York City are filled with enormous balloon characters that dance and sway in the sky.Macy's Parade is a spectacular sight and loved by millions, yet few people know the real story of the mastermind behind it all.This is the enchanting story of that person — Tony Sarge — who created the “upside-down marionettes” more than 80 years ago.It was as if Tony Sarge was meant for this role, for even as a young boy, “Tony Sarge loved to figure out how to make things move,” and his Macy's Parade enormous balloons prove that he was the man for the job.Melissa Sweet's usual charming style of storytelling and delightful illustrations once again combine to create a fun and fascinating story that youngsters are bound to enjoy time and time again.<B>“Animal Planet: My Life in</B> <B>the Wild: Penguin”</B> by Meredith Costain, illustrated by Gary Hanna, Kingfisher, 2011, 32 pages, $9.99 hardcover; read aloud: age 3 and older; read yourself: age 7 and 8.“My life begins inside of an egg. Mom catches me on her feet. Slowly, carefully, she gently dances me over to my dad's feet. If she drops me on the ice, I will freeze!”This delightful narrative takes readers on an informative, fascinating journey as they learn about the life cycle of an emperor penguin. From daily activities, threats from predators, enduring severe cold, and the bonds of family, this interesting book excels.
