Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Award Winner
The Mona Lisa Vanishes by
On a hot August day in Paris, just over a century ago, a desperate guard burst into the office of the director of the Louvre and shouted, La Joconde, c'est partie! The Mona Lisa, she's gone! No one knew who was behind the heist. Was it an international gang of thieves? Was it an art-hungry American millionaire? Was it the young Spanish painter Pablo Picasso, who was about to remake the very art of painting? Travel back to an extraordinary period of revolutionary change: turn-of-the-century Paris. Walk its backstreets. Meet the infamous thieves--and detectives--of the era. And then slip back further in time and follow Leonardo da Vinci, painter of the Mona Lisa, through his dazzling, wondrously weird life. Discover the secret at the heart of the Mona Lisa--the most famous painting in the world should never have existed at all. Here is a middle-grade nonfiction, with black-and-white illustrations by Brett Helquist throughout, written at the pace of a thriller, shot through with stories of crime and celebrity, genius and beauty.
Call Number: 364.16 D3329m
Award Honors
The Book of Turtles by
From National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestseller Sy Montgomery comes an ode to one of the most diverse, fascinating, and beloved species on the planet: turtles. With dazzling illustrations and emotionally engaging, fact-filled text, this picture book will speak to the wisdom these long-lived animals can lend. Everyone loves turtles. And no wonder: long-lived, unhurried, and ancient, these shelled reptiles are fascinating. Turtles are also endlessly surprising. There are turtles with soft shells, turtles with googly eyes, turtles with necks longer than their bodies, and turtles whose shells glow in the dark! And each turtle, of each of the more than 300 kinds, is an individual. You'll meet some of them here: Lonesome George, the last of his kind on Earth. And Myrtle, the 90-year-old green sea turtle who has more than 7,000 followers on Facebook. What questions might you ask a turtle? You'll find many of the answers in this gorgeous compendium--and perhaps be inspired to help at a time when these reptiles, who evolved at the same time as the dinosaurs, face the deadliest dangers of their more than 380-million-year history.
Call Number: 597.92 M7674bo
Holding Her Own: the Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes by
An evocative picture book biography about the prolific life of Jackie Ormes, whose groundbreaking cartoons became some of the first empowering depictions of Black women in America! Jackie Ormes made history. She was the first Black woman cartoonist to be nationally syndicated in the United States. She was also a journalist, fashionista, philanthropist, and activist, and she used her incredible talent and artistry to bring joy and hope to people everywhere. But in post-World War II America, Black people were still being denied their civil rights, and Jackie found herself in a dilemma: How could her art stay true to her signature "Jackie joy" while remaining honest about the inequalities Black people had been fighting? Rising stars Traci N. Todd, author of the Coretta Scott King Honor Book Nina: A Story of Nina Simone, and Shannon Wright, co-creator of the bestselling graphic novel Twins, have crafted a gorgeous and heartfelt tribute to the indelible legacy of Jackie Ormes, whose life and work still influences illustrators and cartoonists today.
Call Number: 741.5 Or85to
Jumper by
From critically acclaimed illustrator of The Lost Package comes a bold nonfiction story following a day in the life of a backyard jumping spider - meticulously researched and utterly charming. What if you were small as a bean, Could walk on the walls and ceiling, Sense vibrations through your elbows, And jump five times your body length? That is Jumper's world. Open this book to discover the vibrant, hidden life of a backyard jumping spider.
Call Number: 595.4 L22ju
Shipwrecked! by
From National Book Award winning author Martin W. Sandler, here is a fascinating look at what shipwrecks reveal about our world's past--and how exploring them led to the development of a whole new field of science: marine archaeology. Most of the world's ocean floor remains to be discovered. In fact, it's estimated to be home to over 3 million sunken vessels and countless treasures of the past. This enthralling and adventure-filled nonfiction book for young readers recounts some of the most captivating shipwrecks from history, ranging from the Shinan, a Chinese merchant ship laden with riches from the 14th century, to the HMS Erebus and Terror, two polar exploration ships that mysteriously disappeared in the early 1800s. Combining new research, stunning archival material, and vivid storytelling, Shipwrecked! dives deep into the world of marine archaeology and shows young readers what each discovery reveals about the world before our time.
Call Number: 910.45 Sa569sh
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Award
Seen and Unseen by
This important work of nonfiction features powerful images of the Japanese American incarceration captured by three photographers--Dorothea Lange, Toyo Miyatake, and Ansel Adams--along with firsthand accounts of this grave moment in history. Three months after Japan attacked Pearl Harbor in 1941, US President Franklin D. Roosevelt ordered the incarceration of all Japanese and Japanese Americans living on the West Coast of the United States. Families, teachers, farm workers--all were ordered to leave behind their homes, their businesses, and everything they owned. Japanese and Japanese Americans were forced to live under hostile conditions in incarceration camps, their futures uncertain. Three photographers set out to document life at Manzanar, an incarceration camp in the California desert: Dorothea Lange was a photographer from San Francisco best known for her haunting Depression-era images. Dorothea was hired by the US government to record the conditions of the camps. Deeply critical of the policy, she wanted her photos to shed light on the harsh reality of incarceration. Toyo Miyatake was a Japanese-born, Los Angeles-based photographer who lent his artistic eye to portraying dancers, athletes, and events in the Japanese community. Imprisoned at Manzanar, he devised a way to smuggle in photographic equipment, determined to show what was really going on inside the barbed-wire confines of the camp. Ansel Adams was an acclaimed landscape photographer and environmentalist. Hired by the director of Manzanar, Ansel hoped his carefully curated pictures would demonstrate to the rest of the United States the resilience of those in the camps. In Seen and Unseen, Elizabeth Partridge and Lauren Tamaki weave together these photographers' images, firsthand accounts, and stunning original art to examine the history, heartbreak, and injustice of the Japanese American incarceration. AWARENESS OF AMERICAN HISTORY: This impactful book engages with an underrepresented topic in American history, and highlights important and timely themes like primary sources, censorship, and visual literacy. SUBSTANTIAL BACKMATTER: Featuring eighteen pages of backmatter, including an Author's and Illustrator's Note, footnotes, photo credits, biographies of each photographer, and more. Perfect for: Parents Educators Librarians
Call Number: 940.53 P2588se
Honors
Choosing Brave by
A Caldecott-honor winning picture book biography of the mother of Emmett Till, and how she channeled grief over her son's death into a call to action for the civil rights movement. Mamie Till-Mobley is the mother of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old boy who was brutally murdered while visiting the South in 1955. His death became a rallying point for the civil rights movement, but few know that it was his mother who was the catalyst for bringing his name to the forefront of history. In Choosing Brave, Angela Joy and Janelle Washington offer a testament to the power of love, the bond of motherhood, and one woman's unwavering advocacy for justice. It is a poised, moving work about a woman who refocused her unimaginable grief into action for the greater good. Mamie fearlessly refused to allow America to turn away from what happened to her only child. She turned pain into change that ensured her son's life mattered. Timely, powerful, and beautifully told, this thorough and moving story has been masterfully crafted to be both comprehensive and suitable for younger readers.
Call Number: 323.092 T46jo
A Seed Grows by
From a tiny seed to a huge, fold-out bloom, the transformative life cycle of a sunflower plays out in this bold read-aloud. A Sibert Honor Book! A Theodor Seuss Geisel Honor Book! To understand how a seed becomes a sunflower, you have to peek beneath the soil and wait patiently as winding roots grow, a stalk inches out of the earth, and new seeds emerge among blooming petals. "A seed falls, And settles into the ground, And the Sun shines, And the rain comes down, And the seed grows..." Leading up to a striking fold-out spread of a full-grown sunflower, the lively, bold illustrations in A Seed Grows offer a close-up view of each step of the growth cycle. Additional material in the back of the book explains the science of plant life cycles, and goes into more detail on the ways in which flowers and seeds depend on other creatures. Antoinette Portis is the author of A New Green Day, a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year and NCTE Notable Book in Poetry, as well as the Sibert Honor winning Hey, Water! An American Library Association Notable Children's Book A CALIBA Golden Poppy Award Finalist A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year A Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection A Horn Book Fanfare Title
Call Number: 575.68 P836se
Sweet Justice by
An inspiring picture-book biography about the woman whose cooking helped feed and fund the Montgomery bus boycott of 1956, from an award-winning illustrator. Georgia Gilmore was cooking when she heard the news Mrs. Rosa Parks had been arrested--pulled off a city bus and thrown in jail all because she wouldn't let a white man take her seat. To protest, the radio urged everyone to stay off city buses for one day- December 5, 1955. Throughout the boycott--at Holt Street Baptist Church meetings led by a young minister named Martin Luther King, Jr.--and throughout the struggle for justice, Georgia served up her mouth-watering fried chicken, her spicy collard greens, and her sweet potato pie, eventually selling them to raise money to help the cause. Here is the vibrant true story of a hidden figure of the civil rights movement, told in flavorful language by a picture-book master, and stunningly illustrated by a Caldecott Honor recipient and seven-time Coretta Scott King award-winning artist.
Call Number: 323.092 G423ro
The Tower of Life by
A moving biography of the woman who created The Tower of Faces, a powerful exhibit at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. Sydney Taylor Book Award (Gold Medal) A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book ★ "...There are many picture books about the Holocaust, but this one stands out with Gal's beautiful watercolor pictures and the true account of one woman's goal that her community never be forgotten. A beautiful tribute....Highly recommended." -- School Library Journal, starred review ★ "A stunning tale . . . . bursting with detail and life. . . . A magnificent and moving tribute to a loving community and an extraordinary woman." -- Booklist, starred review ★ "A powerful tribute....Moving." -- Publisher's Weekly, starred review ★ "An affirming tribute to a Jewish past that was lost in the Holocaust as well as to one survivor's work." -- The Horn Book, starred review " ...A loving testament to light and hope and the vision of a remarkable woman." -- Kirkus Reviews "...the book's message is consistently optimistic... Stiefel paints a truthful portrait appropriate for those just beginning to learn about the Holocaust....Gal's artwork...is dramatic and accessible...a book that ensures [Eliach and her town] will not be forgotten." -- Jewish Book Council There once was a girl named Yaffa. She loved her family, her home, and her beautiful Polish town that brimmed with light and laughter. She also loved helping her Grandma Alte in her photography studio. There, shopkeepers, brides, babies, and bar mitzvah boys posed while Grandma Alte captured their most joyous moments on film. And before the Jewish New Year, they sent their precious photographs to relatives overseas with wishes for good health and happiness. But one dark day, Nazi soldiers invaded the town. Nearly 3,500 Jewish souls -- including family, friends, and neighbors of Yaffa -- were erased. This is the stunning true story of how Yaffa made it her life's mission to recover thousands of her town's photographs from around the world. Using these photos, she built her amazing TOWER OF FACES, a permanent exhibit in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum, to restore the soaring spirit of Eishyshok.
Call Number: 940.53 EL41st
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Award
The People's Painter by
A lyrically told, exquisitely illustrated biography of influential Jewish artist and activist Ben Shahn A 2022 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal Winner A 2022 Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Picture Book "The first thing I can remember," Ben said, "I drew." As an observant child growing up in Lithuania, Ben Shahn yearns to draw everything he sees--and, after seeing his father banished by the Czar for demanding workers' rights, he develops a keen sense of justice, too. So when Ben and the rest of his family make their way to America, Ben brings both his sharp artistic eye and his desire to fight for what's right. As he grows, he speaks for justice through his art--by disarming classmates who bully him because he's Jewish, by defying his teachers' insistence that he paint beautiful landscapes rather than true stories, by urging the US government to pass Depression-era laws to help people find food and jobs. In this moving and timely portrait, award-winning author Cynthia Levinson and illustrator Evan Turk honor an artist, immigrant, and activist whose work still resonates today: a true painter for the people.
Call Number: 759.13 Sh139Le
Honors
The Great Stink by
A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book! Discover the true story about the determined engineer who fixed London's pollution problem in this funny, accessible nonfiction picture book featuring engaging art from the illustrator of Queen Victoria's Bathing Machine. It's the summer of 1858, and London's River Thames STINKS. What is creating this revolting smell? The answer is gross: the river is full of poop. But the smell isn't the worst problem. Every few years, cholera breaks out, and thousands of people die. Could there be a connection between the foul water and the deadly disease? One engineer dreams of making London a cleaner, healthier place. His name is Joseph Bazalgette. His grand plan to create a new sewer system to clean the river is an engineering marvel. And his sewers will save lives. Nothing stinky about that. With tips for how to prevent pollution today, this fascinating look at science, history, and what one person can do to create change will impress and astound readers who want to help make their planet a cleaner, happier place to live.
Call Number: 628 B346pa
Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown by
New York Times bestselling author Steve Sheinkin presents a follow up to his award-winning book Bomb: The Race to Build--and Steal--the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, taking readers on a terrifying journey into the Cold War and our mutual assured destruction. As World War II comes to a close, the United States and the Soviet Union emerge as the two greatest world powers on extreme opposites of the political spectrum. After the United States showed its hand with the atomic bomb in Hiroshima, the Soviets refuse to be left behind. With communism sweeping the globe, the two nations begin a neck-and-neck competition to build even more destructive bombs and conquer the Space Race. In their battle for dominance, spy planes fly above, armed submarines swim deep below, and undercover agents meet in the dead of night. The Cold War game grows more precarious as weapons are pointed towards each other, with fingers literally on the trigger. The decades-long showdown culminates in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the world's close call with the third--and final--world war. A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of 2021 A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2021 A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year Praise for BOMB: A Newbery Honor book A National Book Awards finalist for Young People's Literature A Washington Post Best Kids Books of the Year title "This is edge-of-the seat material that will resonate with YAs who clamor for true spy stories, and it will undoubtedly engross a cross-market audience of adults who dozed through the World War II unit in high school." --BCCB, starred review "...reads like an international spy thriller, and that's the beauty of it." --School Library Journal, starred review "[A] complicated thriller that intercuts action with the deftness of a Hollywood blockbuster." --Booklist, , starred review "A must-read..." --Publishers Weekly, starred review "A superb tale of an era and an effort that forever changed our world." --Kirkus Also by Steve Sheinkin: The Notorious Benedict Arnold: A True Story of Adventure, Heroism & Treachery The Port Chicago 50: Disaster, Mutiny, and the Fight for Civil Rights Undefeated: Jim Thorpe and the Carlisle Indian School Football Team Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War Which Way to the Wild West?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About Westward Expansion King George: What Was His Problem?: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the American Revolution Two Miserable Presidents: Everything Your Schoolbooks Didn't Tell You About the Civil War Born to Fly: The First Women's Air Race Across America
Call Number: 972.9106 Sh42fa
We Are Still Here! by
Twelve Native American kids present historical and contemporary laws, policies, struggles, and victories in Native life, each with a powerful refrain- We are still here! Too often, Native American history is treated as a finished chapter instead of relevant and ongoing. This companion book to the award-winning We Are Grateful- Otsaliheliga offers readers everything they never learned in school about Native American people's past, present, and future. Precise, lyrical writing presents topics including- forced assimilation (such as boarding schools), land allotment and Native tribal reorganization, termination (the US government not recognizing tribes as nations), Native urban relocation (from reservations), self-determination (tribal self-empowerment), Native civil rights, the Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA), religious freedom, economic development (including casino development), Native language revival efforts, cultural persistence, and nationhood.
Call Number: 973.04 So683we
Summertime Sleepers by
Everyone knows about animals that hibernate in the winter. But it's time to discover animals that sleep all summer long! All science classrooms discuss animals that hibernate during winter months, but few know about animals that estivate--a prolonged sleep during hot or dry periods. Dual layers of text awaken readers to the reasons estivating animals become dormant--whether it's because warm weather threatens food supply or to avoid increased body temperatures. From the ladybug to the salamander, from the lungfish to the desert hedgehog, twelve estivating animals and their habits--both when sleeping and awake--are explained through clear text and elegant watercolor illustrations that create a scrapbook feel.
Call Number: 591.56 St491su
Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre by
Longlisted for the National Book Award A Kirkus Prize Finalist A Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book "A must-have"--Booklist (starred review) Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation's history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa's Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community. News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.
Call Number: 976.6 W3784un
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Award
Honeybee by
Take to the sky with Apis, one honeybee, as she embarks on her journey through life! An Orbis Pictus Honor Book Selected for the Texas Bluebonnnet Master List Finalist for the AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books A tiny honeybee emerges through the wax cap of her cell. Driven to protect and take care of her hive, she cleans the nursery and feeds the larvae and the queen. But is she strong enough to fly? Not yet! Apis builds wax comb to store honey, and transfers pollen from other bees into the storage. She defends the hive from invaders. And finally, she begins her new life as an adventurer. The confining walls of the hive fall away as Apis takes to the air, finally free, in a brilliant double-gatefold illustration where the clear blue sky is full of promise-- and the wings of dozens of honeybees, heading out in search of nectar to bring back to the hive. Eric Rohmann's exquisitely detailed illustrations bring the great outdoors into your hands in this poetically written tribute to the hardworking honeybee. Award-winning author Candace Fleming describes the life cycle of the honeybee in accessible, beautiful language. Similar in form and concept to the Sibert and Orbis Pictus award book Giant Squid, Honeybee also features a stunning gatefold and an essay on the plight of honeybees. A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection Named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews, NPR, Shelf Awareness, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly and more! A Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year A Booklist Editor's Choice
Call Number: 595.79 F6291ho
Honors
How We Got to the Moon by
Everyone knows of Neil Armstrong's famous first steps on the moon. But what did it really take to get us there? The Moon landing is one of the most ambitious, thrilling, and dangerous ventures in human history. This exquisitely researched and illustrated book tells the stories of the 400,000 unsung heroes--the engineers, mathematicians, seamstresses, welders, and factory workers--and their innovations and life-changing technological leaps forward that allowed NASA to achieve this unparalleled accomplishment. From the shocking launch of the Russian satellite Sputnik to the triumphant splashdown of Apollo 11, Caldecott Honor winner John Rocco answers every possible question about this world-altering mission. Each challenging step in the space race is revealed, examined, and displayed through stunning diagrams, experiments, moments of crisis, and unforgettable human stories. Explorers of all ages will want to pore over every page in this comprehensive chronicle detailing the grandest human adventure of all time!
Call Number: 629.45 R581ho
Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks by
A picture-book biography of celebrated poet Gwendolyn Brooks, the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize Gwendolyn Brooks (1917-2000) is known for her poems about "real life." She wrote about love, loneliness, family, and poverty--showing readers how just about anything could become a beautiful poem. Exquisite follows Gwendolyn from early girlhood into her adult life, showcasing her desire to write poetry from a very young age. This picture-book biography explores the intersections of race, gender, and the ubiquitous poverty of the Great Depression--all with a lyrical touch worthy of the subject. Gwendolyn Brooks was the first Black person to win the Pulitzer Prize, receiving the award for poetry in 1950. And in 1958, she was named the poet laureate of Illinois. A bold artist who from a very young age dared to dream, Brooks will inspire young readers to create poetry from their own lives.
ISBN: 9781419734113
All Thirteen: the Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys' Soccer Team by
A unique account of the amazing Thai cave rescue told in a heart-racing, you-are-there style that blends suspense, science, and cultural insight. On June 23, 2018, twelve young players of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach enter a cave in northern Thailand seeking an afternoon's adventure. But when they turn to leave, rising floodwaters block their path out. The boys are trapped! Before long, news of the missing team spreads, launching a seventeen-day rescue operation involving thousands of rescuers from around the globe. As the world sits vigil, people begin to wonder: how long can a group of ordinary kids survive in complete darkness, with no food or clean water? Luckily, the Wild Boars are a very extraordinary "ordinary" group. Combining firsthand interviews of rescue workers with in-depth science and details of the region's culture and religion, author Christina Soontornvat--who was visiting family in Northern Thailand when the Wild Boars went missing--masterfully shows how both the complex engineering operation above ground and the mental struggles of the thirteen young people below proved critical in the life-or-death mission. Meticulously researched and generously illustrated with photographs, this page-turner includes an author's note describing her experience meeting the team, detailed source notes, and a bibliography to fully immerse readers in the most ambitious cave rescue in history.
Call Number: 613.69 So63al
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Fry Bread by
Winner of the 2020 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal A 2020 American Indian Youth Literature Picture Book Honor Winner "A wonderful and sweet book . . . Lovely stuff." --The New York Times Book Review Told in lively and powerful verse by debut author Kevin Noble Maillard, Fry Bread is an evocative depiction of a modern Native American family, vibrantly illustrated by Pura Belpre Award winner and Caldecott Honoree Juana Martinez-Neal. Fry bread is food. It is warm and delicious, piled high on a plate. Fry bread is time. It brings families together for meals and new memories. Fry bread is nation. It is shared by many, from coast to coast and beyond. Fry bread is us. It is a celebration of old and new, traditional and modern, similarity and difference. A 2020 Charlotte Huck Recommended Book A Publishers Weekly Best Picture Book of 2019 A Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2019 A School Library Journal Best Picture Book of 2019 A Booklist 2019 Editor's Choice A Shelf Awareness Best Children's Book of 2019 A Goodreads Choice Award 2019 Semifinalist A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book of 2019 A National Public Radio (NPR) Best Book of 2019 An NCTE Notable Poetry Book A 2020 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People A 2020 ALA Notable Children's Book A 2020 ILA Notable Book for a Global Society 2020 Bank Street College of Education Best Children's Books of the Year List One of NPR's 100 Favorite Books for Young Readers
Call Number: 800 M282fr
All in a Drop by
Robert F. Sibert Honor Award winner A Junior Library Guild Selection A 2020 Outstanding Science Trade Book A New York Public Library Best of 2019 A 2020 Best STEM Book by NSTA and CBC For fans of the "Who Was" series, this lively, accessible, and full-color chapter book biography shows how a self-taught scientist was the first to observe the microbial life in and around us. By building his own microscope, Antony van Leeuwenhoek advanced humanity's understanding of our oft-invisible world around us. Microbes are everywhere: in the soil and oceans, in snow, and inside our bodies. But in Antony van Leeuwenhoek's time, people believed that what they saw with their own eyes was all that existed in the world. How did a simple tradesman--who didn't go to college or speak English or Latin like all the other scientists--change everyone's minds? Proving that remarkable discoveries can come from the most unexpected people and places, this eye-opening chapter book, illustrated with lively full-color art, celebrates the power of curiosity, ingenuity, and persistence.
Call Number: 579.092 L519al
This Promise of Change by
Winner of the 2019 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction In 1956, one year before federal troops escorted the Little Rock 9 into Central High School, fourteen year old Jo Ann Allen was one of twelve African-American students who broke the color barrier and integrated Clinton High School in Tennessee. At first things went smoothly for the Clinton 12, but then outside agitators interfered, pitting the townspeople against one another. Uneasiness turned into anger, and even the Clinton Twelve themselves wondered if the easier thing to do would be to go back to their old school. Jo Ann--clear-eyed, practical, tolerant, and popular among both black and white students---found herself called on as the spokesperson of the group. But what about just being a regular teen? This is the heartbreaking and relatable story of her four months thrust into the national spotlight and as a trailblazer in history. Based on original research and interviews and featuring backmatter with archival materials and notes from the authors on the co-writing process.
Call Number: 379.2 B6922th
Ordinary Hazards by
"This powerful story, told with the music of poetry and the blade of truth, will help your heart grow."--Laurie Halse Anderson, author of Speak and Shout " A testimony and a triumph."--Jason Reynolds, author of Long Way Down In her own voice, acclaimed author and poet Nikki Grimes explores the truth of a harrowing childhood in a compelling and moving memoir in verse. Growing up with a mother suffering from paranoid schizophrenia and a mostly absent father, Nikki Grimes found herself terrorized by babysitters, shunted from foster family to foster family, and preyed upon by those she trusted. At the age of six, she poured her pain onto a piece of paper late one night - and discovered the magic and impact of writing. For many years, Nikki's notebooks were her most enduing companions. In this accessible and inspiring memoir that will resonate with young readers and adults alike, Nikki shows how the power of those words helped her conquer the hazards - ordinary and extraordinary - of her life.
Call Number: 811.54 G8828or
Hey, Water! by
Splash! A spunky little girl plays a spirited game of hide-and-seek with water, in this gorgeously illustrated nonfiction picture book. A Robert F. Sibert Honor Book An ALA Notable Children's Book Hey, water! I know you! You're all around. Join a young girl as she explores her surroundings and sees that water is everywhere. But water doesn't always look the same, it doesn't always feel the same, and it shows up in lots of different shapes. Water can be a lake, it can be steam, it can be a tear, or it can even be a snowman. As the girl discovers water in nature, in weather, in her home, and even inside her own body, water comes to life, and kids will find excitement and joy in water and its many forms. This latest work from award-winning author/illustrator Antoinette Portis is an engaging, aesthetically pleasing nonfiction picture book, complete with accessible backmatter on the water cycle, water conservation, and more. A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year A Bank Street Best Book of the Year Selected for the CBC Champions of Change Showcase
Call Number: 553.7 P836he
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Award
The Girl Who Drew Butterflies by
Robert F. Sibert Medal winner Bugs, of all kinds, were considered to be "born of mud" and to be "beasts of the devil." Why would anyone, let alone a girl, want to study and observe them? One of the first naturalists to observe live insects directly, Maria Sibylla Merian was also one of the first to document the metamorphosis of the butterfly. In this visual nonfiction biography, richly illustrated throughout with full-color original paintings by Merian herself, the Newbery Honor-winning author Joyce Sidman paints her own picture of one of the first female entomologists and a woman who flouted convention in the pursuit of knowledge and her passion forinsects. Booklist Editor's Choice Chicago Public Library Best of 2018 Kirkus Best book of 2018 2018 Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book Junior Library Guild Selection New York Public Library Top 10 Best Books of 2018
Call Number: 595.7 M542si
Honors
Camp Panda by
Robert F. Sibert Honor Award winner "Complementing Thimmesh's thoughtful, engagingly written text are many arrestingly adorable color photographs of pandas in training and in the wild. A timely, uplifting story." --Kirkus, starred review From the Sibert medal-winning author of TEAM MOON and the bestselling GIRLS THINK OF EVERYTHING comes a riveting, timely account of panda conservation efforts in China, perfect for budding environmentalists and activists. Roughly a thousand years ago, an estimated 23,000 pandas roamed wild and free through their native China. But within the past forty years, more than fifty percent of the panda's already shrinking habitat has been destroyed by humans, leaving the beautiful and beloved giant panda vulnerable to extinction. Despite the seemingly insurmountable odds--poaching, habitat destruction, pollution, human overpopulation, and global climate change--the panda is making a comeback.How? By humans teaching baby pandas how to be wild and stay wild. Chicago Public Library Best of 2018 Kirkus Best Book of 2018 Junior Library Guild Selection
Call Number: 599.789 T438ca
Spooked! by
On the night of October 30, 1938, thousands of Americans panicked when they believed that Martians had invaded Earth. What appeared to be breaking news about an alien invasion was in fact a radio drama based on H. G. Wells's War of the Worlds, performed by Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre players. Some listeners became angry once they realized they had been tricked, and the reaction to the broadcast sparked a national discussion about fake news, propaganda, and the role of radio. In this compelling nonfiction chapter book, Gail Jarrow explores the production of the broadcast, the aftermath, and the concept of fake news in the media.
Call Number: 791.44 J296
The Unwanted by
Sibert Honor Medalist ∙ New York Public Library Best Of 2018 ∙ The Horn Book's Fanfare 2018 list ∙ Kirkus Best Books of 2018 ∙ YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction Winner In the tradition of two-time Sibert honor winner Don Brown's critically acclaimed, full-color nonfiction graphic novels The Great American Dust Bowl and Drowned City, The Unwanted is an important, timely, and eye-opening exploration of the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis, exposing the harsh realities of living in, and trying to escape, a war zone. Starting in 2011, refugees flood out of war-torn Syria in Exodus-like proportions. The surprising flood of victims overwhelms neighboring countries, and chaos follows. Resentment in host nations heightens as disruption and the cost of aid grows. By 2017, many want to turn their backs on the victims. The refugees are the unwanted. Don Brown depicts moments of both heartbreaking horror and hope in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. Shining a light on the stories of the survivors, The Unwanted is a testament to the courage and resilience of the refugees and a call to action for all those who read.
Call Number: 956.91 B8128un
We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga by
2019 Sibert Honor Book 2019 Orbis Pictus Honor Book NPR's Guide To 2018's Great Reads 2018 Book Launch Award (SCBWI) Kirkus Reviews Best Books of 2018 School Library Journal Best Books of 2018 2018 JLG selection 2019 Reading the West Picture Book Award The Cherokee community is grateful for blessings and challenges that each season brings. This is modern Native American life as told by an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation. The word otsaliheliga (oh-jah-LEE-hay-lee-gah) is used by members of the Cherokee Nation to express gratitude. Beginning in the fall with the new year and ending in summer, follow a full Cherokee year of celebrations and experiences. Written by a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, this look at one group of Native Americans is appended with a glossary and the complete Cherokee syllabary, originally created by Sequoyah. "A gracious, warm, and loving celebration of community and gratitude"--Kirkus Reviews STARRED REVIEW "The book underscores the importance of traditions and carrying on a Cherokee way of life"--Horn Book STARRED REVIEW "This informative and authentic introduction to a thriving ancestral and ceremonial way of life is perfect for holiday and family sharing"--School Library Journal STARRED REVIEW "An elegant representation"--Shelf Awareness STARRED REVIEW
Call Number: 975.004 So683we
When Angels Sing by
Winner of a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor and a Robert F. Sibert Honor! Celebrate music icon Carlos Santana in this vibrant, rhythmic picture book from the author of the New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book Muddy: The Story of Blues Legend Muddy Waters. Carlos Santana loved to listen to his father play el violín. It was a sound that filled the world with magic and love and feeling and healing--a sound that made angels real. Carlos wanted to make angels real, too. So he started playing music. Carlos tried el clarinete and el violín, but there were no angels. Then he picked up la guitarra. He took the soul of the Blues, the brains of Jazz, and the energy of Rock and Roll, and added the slow heat of Afro-Cuban drums and the cilantro-scented sway of the music he'd grown up with in Mexico. There were a lot of bands in San Francisco but none of them sounded like this. Had Carlos finally found the music that would make his angels real?
Call Number: 787.87 Sa539ma
Sibert Informational Book Medal
The Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the authors and illustrators of the most distinguished informational books published in the United States in English during the preceding year. Learn more.
Awards
Twelve Days in May by
A 2018 Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award Winner On May 4, 1961, a group of thirteen black and white civil rights activists launched the Freedom Ride, aiming to challenge the practice of segregation on buses and at bus terminal facilities in the South. The Ride would last twelve days. Despite the fact that segregation on buses crossing state lines was ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 1946, and segregation in interstate transportation facilities was ruled unconstitutional in 1960, these rulings were routinely ignored in the South. The thirteen Freedom Riders intended to test the laws and draw attention to the lack of enforcement with their peaceful protest. As the Riders traveled deeper into the South, they encountered increasing violence and opposition. Noted civil rights author Larry Dane Brimner relies on archival documents and rarely seen images to tell the riveting story of the little-known first days of the Freedom Ride. With author's note, source notes, bibliography, and index.
Call Number: 323.092 F8759br
Honors
Chef Roy Choi and the Street Food Remix by
Chef Roy Choi calls himself a "street cook." He wants outsiders, low-riders, kids, teens, shufflers and skateboarders, to have food cooked with care, with love, with sohn maash. "Sohn maash" is the flavors in our fingertips. It is the love and cooking talent that Korean mothers and grandmothers mix into their handmade foods. For Chef Roy Choi, food means love. It also means culture, not only of Korea where he was born, but the many cultures that make up the streets of Los Angeles, where he was raised. So remixing food from the streets, just like good music--and serving it up from a truck--is true to L.A. food culture. People smiled and talked as they waitedin line. Won''t you join him as he makes good food smiles? Jacqueline Briggs Martin, author of the Caldecott Medal winner,Snowflake Bentley as well asFarmer Will Allen and the Growing Table, andAlice Waters and the Trip to Delicious continues her Food Heroes series withChef Roy Choi on people who change what and how we eat. Together with food ethnographer June Jo Lee and internationally renowned graffiti artist Man One, they bring an exuberant celebration of street food and street art. Jacqueline Briggs Martin is the author of many award winning children''s books, including Snowflake Bentley, winner of the Caldecott Medal. Farmer Will Allen and the Growing Table, which was named an ALA Notable Children''s Book and a "Best Nonfiction Books" by School Library Journal, was the first of her Food Hero series on people who changed what and how we eat. Alice Waters and the Trip to Delicious, the second book in the series, received a starred review from School Library Journal and was named a "CCBC Choices by Cooperative Children''s Book Center. She enjoyed home cooking while growing up at her family farm in Maine, but also liked sampling from the Korean taco truck, ramen and congee at Roy Choi''s restaurants while doing research for the book. She lives in Mt. Vernon, Iowa, and tries to eat kimchi everyday. Learn more about her at jacquelinebriggsmartin.com. June Jo Lee is a food ethnographer, spending her days visiting kitchens, dining rooms, and markets to understand how America eats. She''s a national speaker on food trends and consults with organizations from university campus dining to Google Food and has been featured in the New York Times. She is also co-founder of READERS to EATERS, publishing books to promote food literacy. Like Roy Choi, she was born in Seoul, South Korea, and moved to the U.S., where she grew up eating her mom''s kimchi. She now lives near Seattle, Washington. This is her first book. Learn more about her at foodethnographer.com. Man One has been a pioneer in the Graffiti Art movement in Los Angeles since the 1980s. His work has been exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, The Getty, and Parco Museum in Tokyo, Japan, and others. His artwork has been shown in galleries around the world including Australia, Germany, Mexico and New Zealand. He has painted live on stage at some of the largest U.S. music concerts and festivals including tours for MTV with The Black Eyed Peas. He is the recipient of the Speakerand Specialist Grant by the U.S. State Department to work with children in Panama to build self-esteem through art. In 2002, he founded Crewest Gallery, the premiere street art gallery in L.A. to give graffiti artists a professional venue to showcase their work. In 2014, he relaunched Crewest as a lifestyle media company focused on creativity, art and design. A proud Chicano artist, he is a first generation American whose parents immigrated from Mexico to Los Angeles in the late 1960''s. He ate his family''s delicious Mexican recipes at home growing up, but Bob''s Big Boy was his favorite spot to eat out. This is his first children''s book. Learn about Man One and Crewest at manone.com and crewest.com.
Call Number: 641.5 C4522ma
Not So Different by
Not So Differentoffers a humorous, relatable, and refreshingly honest glimpse into Shane Burcaw's life. Shane tackles many of the mundane and quirky questions that he's often asked about living with a disability, and shows readers that he's just as approachable, friendly, and funny as anyone else. Shane Burcaw was born with a rare disease called spinal muscular atrophy, which hinders his muscles' growth. As a result, his body hasn't grown bigger and stronger as he's gotten older--it's gotten smaller and weaker instead. This hasn't stopped him from doing the things he enjoys (like eating pizza and playing sports and video games) with the people he loves, but it does mean that he routinely relies on his friends and family for help with everything from brushing his teeth to rolling over in bed. A Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2017
Call Number: 362.4 B892no
Sea Otter Heroes by
A Robert F. Sibert Informational Honor Book A Green Earth Book Award Winner This up-close look at a fascinating scientific discovery highlights the critical role predators such as sea otters play in keeping ecosystems healthy. In Elkhorn Slough, an inlet on the California coast, seagrass grows healthy and strong in the shallow water. This healthy seagrass baffled marine biologist Brent Hughes. The scientist expected this estuary to be overrun with algae, causing the seagrass to die. Why was the seagrass thriving? As Brent investigated, signs pointed to an unexpected player helping to keep the seagrass healthy: sea otters! What do these top predators have to do with an aquatic grass at the opposite end of the food chain? Brent's amazing discovery gave scientists insight into the delicate balance of ecosystems. Follow science in action as Brent conducts the research that led to this major discovery.
Call Number: 599.7695 N467se
