Three of them are about people who followed their passions and made a difference, and these stories are always such nice springboards for discussing learning, following your dreams, persistence, creativity, etc. The final one is a fantastic science title that will be wonderful for research or reading for pleasure.
Balloons Over Broadway by Melissa Sweet
Which readers? Age 4 and up....adult parade watchers will enjoy it, too!
Written and illustrated by the amazing Melissa Sweet, this picture book tells the story how Tony Sarg followed his passion for learning how to make things move and eventually became the puppeteer behind the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. There are lots of examples of how the creative process involves trial and error and is usually NOT a straight shot to the finish line. Perfect to read before Thanksgiving or when discussing problem solving.
This book also won The Sibert Award from the ALA.
Melissa Sweet's great website has an educator's guide and an activity kit for making your own puppets.
Barnum's Bones by Tracey Fern; ill. by Boris Kulikov
Which readers? Age 5 and up
Barnum Brown collected fossils unearthed by his father's plow as soon as he could toddle behind it, and as an adult he curated the largest collection of dinosaur bones in the world at the time of his death in 1963. Along with the story of the bones, Fern includes fascinating tidbits such as his propensity for dressing in a fur coat to dinosaur hunt and his fabulous camp cooking skills. My ten year old has read and reread this book several times and told me more than once that this was a "really good book." High praise.
Looking at Lincoln by Maira Kalman
Which readers? Age 4 and up
As I mentioned before, I have an avid US presidents history buff at my house. Had this book been available at the beginning of his obsession, it would have been perfect for him at age four. It has bright pictures, great info without being too detailed, and the writing is very conversational and from a child's point of view. Great little picture book on Lincoln.
As an aside, I wish the the BB committee would choose more biographies of people who are not as well-known as Lincoln. While this is a wonderful little biography, the Bluebonnet List is a great vehicle for introducing to historical figures who are not already covered in the curriculum. Just my humble opinion! But, obviously, Tony Sarg and Barnum Brown are not as famous, so perhaps I can live with this. :)
Coral Reefs by Jason Chin
Which readers? Age 4 and up
Anytime a book is set in a library, the author has my full attention, of course. And since I am a scuba diver, coral reefs come in a close second. This book is about a coral reef INSIDE a library (and by the amazing Jason Chin) - I have died and gone to heaven.
The detailed text about the reefs makes no mention of the girl in the illustrations who is looking up information about coral reefs in the gorgeous stacks of the NY public library. The library is also never mentioned, but it is obvious from the illustrations showing the famous lions at the steps that this is where she is. As she reads about different parts of a coral reef, they begin to stack up around her and the room fills with water until she is swimming with the sharks and other inhabitants of the reef. The illustrations are stunning.
Chin is a favorite author-illustrator at our house. He also wrote Island: A Story of the Galapagos (not on BBL), which I think I like even more. Gorgeous, gorgeous detailed pictures here and detailed yet simple text that is highly readable for early and middle grade readers. Leo read Galapagos over and over until I returned it to the public library, and it brought about some great discussions about evolution around our dinner table. We love to talk science!
great potential here, esp the Lincoln book. We have a presidents fan, here, too.
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