Braille Book Review

May-June 2008


Books for Children The following books were recently produced for the NLS program. To order books, contact your braille-lending library. Nonfiction

Food, Farming, and Hunting: American Indian Contributions to the World BR 16678
by Emory Dean Keoke and Kay Marie Porterfield
2 volumes
Explains geographic variations on hunting and fishing techniques and weapons; on gathering fruits and nuts; and on domesticating plants such as corn, chilies, potatoes, cotton, tobacco, peanuts, and tomatoes--crops now raised throughout the world. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 2005.

Animal Friends: A Collection of Poems for Children BR 17027
selected by Michael Hague
1 volume
Twenty poems about pets, farm animals, and wild creatures, big and small, by many poets including Christina Rossetti, Robert Louis Stevenson, and Eileen Spinelli. In "My Puppy" by Aileen Fisher, a child describes a puppy that responds to how the child feels. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool-grade 2. 2007.

A Panda's World BR 17030
by Caroline Arnold
1 volume
Follows a baby giant panda and his mother for eighteen months in their natural habitat in China. Describes the newborn's appearance, appetite, and movements. Traces his rapid growth from skills development to independence. PRINT/BRAILLE. For preschool- grade 2. 2006.

Strega Nona BR 17034
by Tomie De Paola
1 volume
Long ago in Italy, there lived an old lady called Strega Nona (Grandma Witch) who owned a magic pasta pot. One day when she was away, her helper Big Anthony served pasta to the whole town, but he couldn't make the pot stop. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. Caldecott Honor. 1975.

Extreme Animals: The Toughest Creatures on Earth BR 17149
by Nicola Davies
1 volume
Presents facts about animals that thrive in conditions where humans would die. Discusses polar bears in the Arctic cold, Antarctic emperor penguins, wood frogs in frozen hibernation, desert camels and reptiles, heat-loving bacteria, deep-sea sponges, and the toughest creature of all--the tiny tardigrade, or water bear. For grades 3-6. 2006.

Dominican Republic BR 17155
by Erin Foley and Leslie Jermyn
1 volume
An overview of this Caribbean nation. Describes the geography and environment of the land as well as the culture, lifestyle, religion, arts, and food of its people. Chronicles the country's history and examines twenty-first-century government and economic practices and the challenges posed by racism and poverty. For grades 5-8. 2005.

Whoopi's Big Book of Manners BR 17247
by Whoopi Goldberg
1 volume
Comedian's approach to good manners. Covers saying please and thank you, cell-phone and table etiquette, behavior at the movies, and being a good sport, among other topics. PRINT/BRAILLE. For grades K-3. 2006.

Jamestown: The First English Colony BR 17279
by Susan Harkins and William H. Harkins
1 volume
Overview of the first English settlement in the New World. Describes the settlers' lack of preparation for the 1607 cross- Atlantic journey, illnesses, starvation, and interactions with Native Americans. Profiles historical figures and traces Jamestown's growth and disappearance in 1699, as residents moved to other towns. For grades 4-7. 2007.

Carver: A Life in Poems BR 17282
by Marilyn Nelson
1 volume
Poems portraying incidents in the life of multitalented George Washington Carver (1864?-1943), the botanist and inventor. Covers his start as an orphaned slave eager for education, his friendship with Booker T. Washington, and his career as a researcher at Tuskegee Institute. For grades 6-9. Coretta Scott King Award. 2001.

Hurricane Katrina: Aftermath of Disaster BR 17283
by Barb Palser
1 volume
Traces the path of the worst natural disaster in U.S. history, Hurricane Katrina, which hit the Gulf Coast in August 2005. Describes the devastation caused by the storm and people's responses, including relief efforts by organizations and individual acts of heroism. For grades 6-9. 2007.


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