March Trilogy - Review

March Trilogy by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell. 

Published in 2013, 2015, and 2016 by Top Shelf Productions. 128, 192, & 256 pages. Recommended for ages 13-16 years, Lexile 760, 850.

The March trilogy is a graphic novel memoir written by John Lewis about his days in the civil rights movement in the 50s and 60s. Lewis was a key figure in the movement, particularly among young people, and sometimes worked side-by-side with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to push for non-violent protest in order to accomplish their goals of desegregation, anti-discrimination, and equal voting rights for all Americans. The series juxtaposes the historical accounts with modern scenes from Barack Obama's inauguration, showing the progress that has been made thanks, in part, to Lewis' legacy. 

(Lewis, Aydin & Powell, 2015, p.50-51)

This series, aimed at older teen readers, is densely packed with history. Quotes from real speeches and conversations are used. Some parts of this series are uncomfortable, as the books include the derogatory terms that were thrown at Lewis and his colleagues. The violence they were met with at almost every turn, from both citizens and police, is also depicted. The gruesome aspects of the fight for civil rights is laid out on the page, including some of the horrific murders that happened in the South. His fight was dangerous, but over and over again he showed up for the cause that meant so much to him. 

(Lewis, Aydin & Powell, 2013, p.100-101)

These scenes of violence and hatred make the triumphant moments all the sweeter. The trilogy culminates in the march that Lewis helped lead from Selma to Montgomery. The first tie Lewis tried to lead this protest, it nearly cost him his life. But the march ultimately succeeded and became the linchpin in getting the Voting Acts Right passed in 1965. 

(Lewis, Aydin & Powell, 2016, p.230-231)

This trilogy is timely for modern teen readers, who have been watching news of the Black Lives Matter movement in recent years. Some of the images in the book feel eerily similar to recent videos and pictures of the protests that have been making headlines in their lifetime, and Lewis' story shows the important work that young people can do to push for the changes that they want to see in their government and country. 

The March trilogy has received numerous starred professional reviews, literary awards, and critical acclaim. March: Book Three won, among several awards, the National Book Award, the Printz Award, and the Coretta Scott King Award. The graphic novel format makes the story feel even more personal and immediate, and it's clear that this series has struck a cord with teens and readers all of ages. 

Other books to consider:

The Freedom Summer Murders by Don Mitchell. Published in 2016 by Scholastic. 256 pages. Recommended for ages 12 and up, Lexile 1130.

The murders of activists James Chaney, Andrew Goodman, and Michael Schwerner were discussed in the March trilogy, but this narrative nonfiction book gives a more in-depth look into these three young individuals and the role their deaths played in the civil rights movement.  

Claudette Colvin: Twice Towards Justice by Phillip Hoose. Published in 2010 by Square Fish. 160 pages. Recommended for ages 13-17, Lexile 1000. 

Before Rosa Parks, there was Claudette Colvin, a fifteen-year-old African American girl who refused to give up her seat to a white woman on a bus. This award-winning biography tells Colvin's story, and her personal fight in the civil rights movement. 

Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. Published in 2020 by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. 320 pages. Recommended for ages 12 and up, Lexile 1000. 

This award-winning, bestselling work of non-fiction pulls the history of racism into the modern day, shows how we got to where we are, and teaches young readers how to continue to fight for equality for all moving forward. A timely work for 2020, and an excellent companion to studying the civil rights movement. 

References:

Lewis, J., Aydin, A., & Powell, N. (2013). March: Book one. Top Shelf Productions. 

Lewis, J., Aydin, A., & Powell, N. (2015). March: Book two. Top Shelf Productions. 

Lewis, J., Aydin, A., & Powell, N. (2016). March: Book three. Top Shelf Productions. 

Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper - Review

Cubs in the Tub: The True Story of the Bronx Zoo's First Woman Zookeeper by Candace Fleming, illustrated by Julie Downing.

Published in 2020 by Holiday House. 48 pages. Recommended for ages 4-8 years, Lexile 600.

Cubs in the Tub is a narrative picture biography that tells the story of Helen Martini, the first female zookeeper at the Bronx zoo. Her husband, Fred, worked at the zoo while Helen stayed home and prepared to become a mother. But when no baby came, her husband brought home first a baby lion and then baby tigers from the zoo. Helen's baby preparations came in handy as she fed, bathed, and took care of the cubs, who thrived under her care.

(Fleming & Downing, 2020, p.10-11)

When the tiger cubs were to return to the zoo, Helen couldn't leave them behind. Fred helped her set up a secret nursery at the zoo to take care of the cubs at night, and soon Helen became a zoo employee, working in the nursery. Once the tigers grew too old for her care, the nursery filled up with other baby animals who needed her help. Helen had made a space, and a career, for herself at the zoo.

(Fleming & Downing, 2020, p.38-39)

Fleming's engaging, informative text is paired with Downing's charming, vintage-style illustrations. Readers will love the cute illustrations of the cubs and other animals, but will also come to love Helen's loving and stalwart character, as she pushes for her role at the zoo.

(Fleming & Downing, 2020, p.28-29)

Fleming includes a further biography at the end of the story, as well as bibliography for more information on Helen's life. Fleming notes that women in the 1940s "often went about carving out opportunities for themselves" not by being loud, but with their "daring and cleverness [as] they subtly worked within the existing power structure" (Fleming & Downing, 2020, p.46).

Cubs in the Tub received starred reviews from both Horn Book and Booklist. This tale will sure to strike a chord with young animal-lovers, especially young girls. It would be a great book to use in a preschool or early elementary classroom, and just as enjoyable for adults reading the book as the children.

A video of Helen at work in her nursery can be seen below:

Other books about zoos and baby animals:

Saving Fiona: The Story of the World's Most Famous Baby Hippo by Thane Maynard. Published in 2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. 48 pages. Recommended for ages 4-7 years, Lexile 1020.

Baby Fiona became an internet sensation in 2017. Born prematurely, zookeepers at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden knew she wouldn't survive without a lot of extra care and attention. With creativity and teamwork, baby Fiona became to thrive, and pictures and videos of her progress made her a beloved phenomenon around the world.

Ivan: The Remarkable True Story of the Shopping Mall Gorilla by Katherine Applegate and G. Brian Karas. Published in 2014 by Clarion Books. 40 pages. Recommended for ages 4-7 years, Lexile 620.

Katherine Applegate's bestselling novel The One and Only Ivan was based off the true story of Ivan the gorilla, who grew up in a shopping mall. In this picture book, Applegate tells the story of the real Ivan, and his journey from mall attraction to eventually become a symbol of animal welfare.

What Do They Do with All That Poo? by Jane Kurtz and Allison Black. Published in 2018 by Beach Lane Books. 40 pages. Recommended for ages 3-8 years, Lexile 910.

Learn about the bathroom habits of all your favorite zoo animals in this silly and informational picture book! Kids who love animals, bodily functions, or both will be sure to enjoy this title, which is full of interesting facts about animal poop and how zoos keep up with it.

References:

Fleming, C. & Downing, J. (2020). Cubs in the tub: The true story of the Bronx zoo's first woman zookeeper. Holiday House.

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream - Review

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream by Tanya Lee Stone. 

Published in 2009 by Candlewick Press. 134 pages. Recommended for ages 10-13 years, Lexile 980.

Almost Astronauts chronicles the stories of the "Mercury 13" women, who went through astronaut testing and training during the Space Race in order to prove that women were just as capable of space travel as men. 

The early portions of the book focus largely on Jerrie Cobb, a pilot who was already making waves as a highly skilled female aviator, when she was approached by a scientist who wanted to run a woman through astronaut testing. Up until that point, only men had been allowed to take the tests, but the scientist, Randy Lovelace, thought that NASA was missing out by not testing women. So in secret, Lovelace began to run Cobb through all the tests that the Mercury 7 astronauts had passed. 

(Stone, 2009, p.18-19)

The results from their testing were clear: women were just as capable, if not more so, than men of going into space. After Cobb was tested, the story caught national attention, and soon Lovelace was able to continue testing a total of 13 women, including Cobb, in order to fight for a place for women in space. 

It was an uphill battle for the women, as sexism ran rampant everywhere from the media through all levels of government. They didn't need to just pass the tests, but exceed them. "If women were going to prove they could equal the best of men--the chosen Mercury 7--they would have to show not only that they were as tough or tougher, but that they could do it all with a smile, never stepping out of the role of the polite, cooperative lady" (Stone, 2009, p.39). They faced incredible scrutiny, jokes, red tape, and ultimately were prevented from going into space themselves. 

However, Stone doesn't end the narrative there. She continues onward through the years, showing how these women, who despite their qualifications were denied the opportunity of a lifetime, paved the way for other women in the future. As feminists were able to prove that women were qualified to work in other fields, NASA eventually got on board with women astronauts. Eventually Sally Ride would become the first women in space, and Eileen Collins the first pilot. "On that trip, Collins had carried with her a gold pin from Jerrie depicting a Colombian bird, the symbol of both Jerrie's airplane and her entire life. This time, with Jerrie staying behind once again on Earth, it was her hopes and dreams that went hurtling into space with Collins, along for the ride" (Stone, 2009, p. 102). 

Throughout the course of the book, Stone deftly weaves in her research, interviews, and photographs. The text is clear and engaging, never talking down to the reader, who may often feel frustrated along with the Mercury 13 women, for all of the hurtles they faced during their testing. Stone also includes artifacts from the time period, including political cartoons and important documents. 

(Stone, 2009, p.80-81)

Almost Astronauts won the Robert F. Sibert Medal, an award given to outstanding nonfiction works for youth, from the American Library Association. It received starred reviews from both School Library Journal and Horn Book, as well as additional praise from other professional reviewers. It makes an excellent read for any child who is interested in learning more about early space travel or women's equality in the United States. 

Other resources to consider:

Women in Space: 23 Stories of First Flights, Scientific Missions, and Gravity-Breaking Adventures 
by Karen Bush Gibson. Published in 2020 by Chicago Review Press. 240 pages. Recommended for ages 12 and up, Lexile 1080. 

This nonfiction book profiles 23 female astronauts from around the world. It would make an excellent follow-up to Almost Astronauts, as it showcases the legacy started by the Mercury 13 women. 

Reaching for the Moon: The Autobiography of Nasa Mathematician Katherine Johnson by Katherine Johnson. Published in 2020 by Atheneum Books for Young Readers. 272 pages. Recommended for ages 10 and up, Lexile 1040. 

Katherine Johnson has risen in notoriouty in recent years with the 2016 movie Hidden Figures. Now young readers can learn Johnson's story in her own words with this autobiography that tells the story of another woman who fought both racism an sexism to make her own place at NASA and in the world. 

Team Moon: How 400,000 People Landed Apollo 11 on the Moon by Catherine Thimmesh. Published in 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for Young Readers. 80 pages. Recommended for ages 10-12 years, Lexile 1060. 

This nonfiction work also won the Siebert medal, and expands on the many stories of the people working at NASA who helped the Apollo 11 astronauts make their historical trip to the moon and back. 

Website - Women@Nasa - Located at https://women.nasa.gov

Women@Nasa includes video interviews from over 60 women who work, or have worked, at NASA. While it doesn't appear that the website is getting updated with new interviews, this link does provide a great archive to learn more about how women today help in all aspects of NASA's initiatives, programs, and goals. 

References:

Stone, T.L. (2009). Almost astronauts: 13 women who dared to dream. Candlewick Press.