We have spent much of our summer gathering new books to share with you. Some are retellings of familiar stories, some are old favorites in new formats, some are fresh and different, all are fantastic! This issue of The Scoop contains lots of terrific books for teachers to use with their students. E-mail us at scoop@friend.ly.net - we would love to tell you about more great books!
Click Here for Complete Reading List
 Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney have restored to a
new generation Little Black Sambo, a tale loved for its clever hero who outwits
greedy tigers and reviled for its blatantly racist overtones. Painstaking research by both
author and artist revealed at least fifty versions of Helen Bannerman's original story.
Today's children will revel in the depiction of the mystical kingdom of Sam-sam-sa-mara,
where animals and people work together and everyone is named Sam. The unbeatable
combination of Julius Lester's rich Southern storytelling voice and Jerry Pinkney's
brilliant artwork make Sam and
the Tigers a must-have book! (ages 4-8, hc, $14.99) |
 The Wagon is a powerful
and personal portrait of slavery depicted by author Tony Johnston and illustrator James
Ransome from the point of view of a child - a span of twelve years from his birth into
slavery to the Emancipation Proclamation and Lincoln's assassination and funeral. Simple
yet powerful text and paintings which evoke the strength, courage, and faith of an
oppressed people combine in an unvarnished and highly personal account of life as a slave
child. While this is a picture book, it should not be ignored by teachers of U.S. History
at any level. It will surely enhance any student's understanding of life under slavery. (ages
5 and up, hc, $16.00) |
 Eleanor Roosevelt was one of our most
admired and beloved First Ladies. In Barbara Cooney's picture book portrait Eleanor
we also know her as an unhappy and lonely child whose lack of physical beauty stunted her
relationships with her family. Only at boarding school in England was Eleanor allowed to
be known and loved for the compassionate, intelligent young woman she had become. Barbara
Cooney has neither overdramatized nor minimized the hardships in young Eleanor's life, her
objective tone serves to make this portrayal all the more moving. (ages 5 and up, hc,
$15.99) |
 The saga begun in Beyond the Western Sea, Book One: The Escape from Home, concludes in Book Two: Lord Kirkle's Money. The tension and suspense is sustained as Patrick and Maura O'Connell arrive in Lowell, Massachusetts to meet their father. Young Sir Laurence Kirkle, runaway son of an English lord, joins them, only to meet the one-eyed man who stole his money. Avi proves again that he has mastered the art of the Victorian novel, as plots and characters twist and turn. Immigrants and their harsh reception in their chosen land are nineteenth century topics that echo all too true today. If you've been holding your breath waiting for the conclusion of the tale, wait no longer! (ages 10-14, hc, $18.95) |
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