Sally M. WalkerAnmeldelser

Very interesting exploration of the trGedy. Author introduces the characters, unleashes the crisis and then takes you through who survive s and who doesn't. Not sure why it is written as a "children's " book, identifying charred corpses seems. Bit much , would have. Thought young adult anyway,but a good read even for full Dults

reviewed

Some poems could be used at story time. Due to possible limited popularity (?) did not purchase at this time.

A nonfiction book on the 1917 Halifax explosion, geared toward middle grade.
An interesting account of the event, and although I would have liked a bit more detail, I think it is perfectly done for its intended audience.

Excerpt from a longer article:

Synergy: Celebrating Trees

TREES are a woody perennial plant consisting of a single tall stem or trunk and bearing lateral branches. A root system anchors the tree and stores nutrients. These long living plants often serve as keystone species supporting a variety of other life.

To understand a concept, it’s useful to read a cluster of books related to a theme. Explore these recently published books for children:

TREES: HAIKU FROM ROOTS TO LEAVES by Sally M. Walker and illustrated by Angela Mckay combines science, history, and haiku to tell the story of trees. This richly illustrated picture book concludes with background information, an author’s note, a glossary, and suggested readings. ARC courtesy of Candlewick, an imprint of Penguin Random House.½

A cute little biography of the real bear that traveled as a mascot with Canadian soldiers to England where she found a home at the London Zoo and met a little boy named Christopher Robin Milne, who was so smitten with her he immediately changed the name of his teddy bear from Edward Bear to Winnie-the-Pooh.

Nicely done.

(My Pooh Project: I love Winnie the Pooh, and so does my wife. Having a daughter gave us a chance to indoctrinate her into the cult by buying and reading her every Pooh book we came across. How many is that? I’m going to count them this year by reading and reviewing one every day and seeing which month I finally run out. Track my progress here:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23954351-rod-brown?ref=nav_mybooks&she... )

The illustrations throughout the book were also captivating, and I appreciated the illustrator's distinctive style. It is remarkable how a simple visit to the zoo created an iconic line of books, shows, and movies. Teachers could use this book to spark discussions about the creative process and how everyday experiences can inspire great works of art. It is also an excellent resource for introducing young students to the world of literature and the origins of beloved characters. Ages good for 3rd-4th because of the history and biography added

I think this book is for intermediate level since it is in poetry form. This book is poems about the earth. This is the kind of book I would read to calm sudents down and have them see really how beautiful the earth is.

Primary-Intermediate
A series of haikus about the earth, geology and earth science.
This book is perfect for learning scientific concepts in a unique way, through poetry.

Sally M. Walker presents an exciting and informative look at forensics, archeology and anthropology in this fantastic non-fiction book. She works hard to give detailed scientific information at a level not above or below the heads of the average teenager.

Each step of the process includes historical atmosphere, maps, photos and descriptions. Her focus on the mysterious aspects of parts of the excavation (a possible murder, bodies buried together, etc.) grabbed my attention and held it.

Every chapter is like a separate vignette (or, if you are me, a new episode of Law and Order, Colonial Times). One is about a boy they found and how they tried to determine cause of death, his birth origin and more. Another chapter is titled “The Captain,” the name they gave to another body after an x-ray revealed an object associated with high ranking military of the time. Still another is “The Body in the Basement.”

Throughout the book teens will learn about the complex processes of excavating a site of historical importance. The care taken by scientists, forensic experts, archaeologists and others is highlighted and combined with a fun sense of mystery and intrigue (and some amazing photos!). I would recommend this to all teens.

Animals, mammals, bears, Winnie the Pooh, nonfiction, history, WWI, Canada, Winnepeg, England, A.A. Milne

Synergy: Cherry Mine Disaster

The CHERRY MINE DISASTER of 1909 is the third most deadly tragedy in American coal mining history. Nearly 500 men and boys were working in the mine when a coal car caught fire killing 259 people. Twenty-one trapped miners were rescued after eight days. Following the tragedy, the Illinois legislature established stronger safety regulations and a workmen’s compensation program.

Read the recently published middle grades nonfiction book, then learn more at the websites:

UNDERGROUND FIRE: HOPE, SACRIFICE, AND COURAGE IN THE CHERRY MINE DISASTER by Sally M. Walker is an hour-by-hour account of the challenges faced by trapped miners and the rescue workers trying to save them. Through a dozen heart-pounding chapters, Walker uses riveting narrative and primary source documents and photos to keep even reluctant readers engaged in this historic, tragic mine disaster. ARC courtesy of Candlewick Press.

CHERRY MINE DISASTER from the Travel Channel is a short video describing the tragedy.

To watch the video, go to https://www.travelchannel.com/videos/cherry-mine-disaster-0223505.

THE CHERRY MINE DISASTER: FROM TRAGEDY TO REFORM is a student-produced video about the disaster.

To watch the video, go to https://youtu.be/BzqEZ-yXPok.

CHERRY COAL MINE DISASTER shares historical news articles and a photo from the disaster.

To read the articles, go to http://genealogytrails.com/ill/bureau/History/CherryCoalMine/index.html.

This book would be good for intermediate readers as it focuses on a specific poetic device that might be confusing for younger readers. This book is a collection of poems about different elements of nature such as volcanos, rocks, oceans, and earthquakes. Something that is really helpful about this book is that it enhances the poetry by providing beautiful illustrations and there is an information section at the back of the book that explains more about each topic.

I loved how cool this haiku book was. I think this is a great piece to have on the shelves. It is a collection of Haiku's that surround focus on the Earth. This is a cool combonation of poetry and science. The illustrations are beautiful, and there is great emphasis on geological features. Super cool! The poems go along with the images and flow nicely throughout. I would say upper elementary would be best for this book!

This book is made up of a bunch of haikus all telling one story about the earth and different geological structures of the earth. I really like this book because it is engaging and the haikus go with the illustrations really well. This book would be appropriate for intermediate readers.

Crazy interesting what we can learn from people who have been dead for 400 years.

This book represents and tells the stories of the thousands of American Indians that served in the Civil War. It follows Company K, an all-American Indian company, through the front line stories of Michigan's Anishinaabe sharpshooters. It contains photographs, detailed maps, and personal stories that describe the good, the bad, and the ugly of what they had to endure. I would use this book as a great history lesson through the Civil War. It is a chapter book, so I would not read it out loud, but I would allow my students to read it in my library. I personally thought this book was very interesting and I enjoyed reading the new perspective to the Civil War.

The original Winnie was, indeed, a real bear that was cared for by veterinarian Harry Colebourn. When Harry had to leave for service during World War I, Winnie went along with him to London. This is just the beginning of the real story of how Christopher Robin and Winnie, short for Winnipeg, got together and inspired the creation of Winnie-the-Pooh.

A fascinating account of the discovery of a 9,000-year-old skeleton in Washington State. This book details the amazing new information provided by the find, along with advancements in scientific examination, and a controversy over ownership of the skeleton. Bibliography, Index.

Just as forensic science can help solve crimes, it can also help us to understand our past. is is a look at how scientists used modern techniques to unlock the clues of the past in Jamestown, Virginia, and in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay area

I enjoyed this audiobook much more than I expected to. It starts off slowly as the author introduces us to the Anishinaabeg people who you'll follow through the war and establishes their backgrounds and that of their peoples. This takes up about the first third of the book.

But then it gets to be really interesting as the author relates the often painful experiences of Company K during the Civil War. Learning that these Native Americans contributed so much to the war, and how they performed in battle is engrossing. Hearing how some of them were captured and treated as prisoners, and how many of them had to fight for their war pensions after the war is maddening. The horrible conditions at Andersonville and Danville prisoner of war camps are well known, but to see them through the eyes of these men really drives home how thoroughly awful they were.

I am glad I read the audiobook version as I am sure I would have had trouble with trying to pronounce the Anishinaabemowin words (though as I am from Michigan it did grate a little that the reader mangled some of the Michigan place names). But based on other's reviews I missed pictures and maps that I'm sure added to the story. Either way you go, if you have an interest in Civil War, Midwestern American, or Native American History you will enjoy this book, and I recommend it.

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I did not know about Brown until I read this story. I understand and learned about Brown's life. I love a true story that I never heard of before. Henry Brown was a slave who grew up on a plantation. As a child, Brown would sing his freedom song quietly in his head, he would sing songs, and hope for freedom one day. Henry met a woman named Nancy. Their masters permitted them to marry. Henry and Nancy had three children together, however, his wife and children were sold by his master to other owners. Henry devises a plan to escape slavery by hiding in a box to be shipped to the North. He would sing his freedom song in his mind, but he would not make a sound. Once someone opened the box, he hopes somebody would help him find his wife and children. I love this book overall because it shows determination, hope, and courage. I'm amazed at Henry because he would sing so many different songs to help him through his journey to freedom. The illustrations in the story caught my attention because I love the soft and hard paint texture. This story will captivate young children and young adults. I would read this to the children so that they can understand the content of the story. Also, I want them to understand who Henry was.

Freedom Song is a fabulous book. I appreciate the context of the situation and all of the little things that go with it. This book takes place before the civil war. It follows a boy named Henry. As a child, he sang the freedom song quietly in his head, hoping to one day be free. He met a young woman slave and got permission to marry her. They had a few children together, but his wife and children were eventually sold to other owners. Henry escaped slavery by hiding himself in a box to be shipped to the north. Once the box was opened, he hoped to find his wife and children. The setting is obviously important to the plot because this was during the time of slavery. Henry was a slave that escaped for his freedom.
This book tugged on my heartstrings quite a few times. My only complaint is that the ending was cut very short to me. The story ends with Henry getting out of the box to freedom, and simply hoping that these people will help him find his wife and children. I asked myself, "That's the end?" on the last page. Beyond the story not being concluded enough for me, I loved the way it told this man's story. It is empowering and humbling.

I picked up my copy of Written in Bone at the Smithsonian museum in D.C. several years ago. It coincided with an exhibit they were displaying of several of the skeletons mentioned in the book. Though the book may be geared towards older children, it still has quite a bit of information and a wide enough appeal to be a great read for adults.