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How to be an elephant : growing up in the African wild by Katherine RoyBeautiful, detailed drawings show an African elephant from in-utero to adulthood. The first few pages show the elephant herd, the baby elephant in the womb, and then its plunge to earth surrounded by other elephants. Each section discusses a different element of elephant life from family to the digestive tract. A page of text with detailed illustrations of the teeth or bones is matched by a facing page with the baby elephant going about daily activities. Double-page illustrations show herd activities, such as splashing in water or traveling in search of food and water. Informative text accompanies the drawings. "An adult elephant’s voice can reveal her identity and emotional state, escalating to a high-pitched roar at a predator or dropping to a low-frequency rumble signaling that it’s time to go. The calf learns how to talk as she listens to the surrounding conversations, ready for a taste of her next elephant lesson...." An Author’s Note, resources, and small map of an elephant research trip in Kenya round out the materials in the book. With amazing illustrations and fascinating facts, this is an engaging view of an elephant's life. Grades 4-6 Tamara, Gig Harbor
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Danza! : Amalia Hernández and el Ballet Folklórico de Mexico by Duncan TonatiuhDanza! is a celebration of Hernández's life and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernandez traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company, El Ballet Folklorico de Mexico, where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the country and soon all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today. Duncan Tonatiuh's picture books have been honored with many awards and accolades. Danza! will enthrall and inspire young readers with the fascinating story of this important dancer and choreographer. Grades 1-5 Michelle, Lakewood
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Yayoi Kusama : From Here to Infinity! by Sarah SuzukiWritten by a curator at The Museum of Modern Art, this book features reproductions by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama (b. 1929) and tells the story of her life and artistic vision to cover the world with dots. Kusama envisioned the world in dots, and would add them to everything that she could, including her own body. Large dots and small dots, dots for every person to see and understand. The book contains reproductions of Kusama's work to illustrate the dots powering the work, curated by Sarah Suzuki of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A remarkable look at a modern non-Western artist and her work. Grades 4-6
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How the cookie crumbled : the true (and not-so-true) stories of the invention of the chocolate chip cookie by Gilbert Ford This brief biography shares the story of Ruth Wakefield, inventor of chocolate chip cookies. After studying nutrition and teaching school, Ruth and her husband opened the Toll House Inn. Ruth put her love of cooking to use and she invented many recipes, including chocolate chip cookies. After the chocolate chip cookie became a hit locally, Ruth shared the recipe nationally. Nestle, seeing a spike in its chocolate bar sales, asked Ruth for her recipe, and started making special baking chips with the recipe on the back. Ruth’s perfectionism is shown in the way she ran her restaurant. “Ruth’s staff said she was one tough cookie to work for. She demanded that the servers set the tables flawlessly, and she even measured the distance between the fork and plate for accuracy.” Stylized single- and double-page illustrations in color show Ruth’s life, focusing mostly on the 1930’s. The three cookie invention myths are shown as old comic panels. The text varies from regular print for the narrative to bold print on a plate when discussing the famous cookies. The Author’s Note at the end provides more information on Ruth, who claimed her cookie invention was no accident. It also includes the famous Toll House Chocolate Crunch Cookies recipe! This an amusing and fun look at one of the United States favorite cookies history. Grades 2-4 Tamara, GIg Harbor
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Grades 3-up, except 11 1/2 year olds are not allowed to read this. Genevieve, University Place
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Betty before X by Ilyasah ShabazzA powerful middle-grade novel about the childhood activism of Malcolm X's wife, written by their daughter, describes how young Betty finds confidence and purpose by volunteering for the Housewives League in 1945 Detroit, learning skills and developing awareness that inspires her future as a Civil Rights icon. Grades 4-6 Michelle, Lakewood Erin, Outreach
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The Boggart fights back by Susan CooperThe mischievous boggart returns with new tricks to stop an American developer from spoiling his beloved Scottish island with plans for a luxury resort that will destroy all the local businesses, including a store owned by twins Allie and Jay's grandfather. Grades 4-6 Genevieve, University Place
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The witch boy by Molly OstertagWhen a boy goes missing during a night of shapeshifting, thirteen-year-old Astor risks going against village tradition by using his magic, traditionally the domain of women, to help locate him. Grades 3-7 Michelle, Lakewood Erin, Outreach
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Princess Truly in my magical, sparkling curls by Kelly GreenawaltSimple drawings in washed pastel watercolors spread across the pages show a young girl African-American with “...fluffy, puffy curls.” She embraces her hair and her appearance through imaginative adventures. From Egypt to outer space, "I fly across the galaxy. I make a map with all the stars.” After a busy day of creative play, tucked into bed, she affirms, “I love my fluffy, puffy hair. It is truly divine. When I believe in myself, it shimmers and it shines!” A delightful book about accepting and embracing one's unique appearance. Grades K-3 Tamara, Gig Harbor
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The blue hour by Isabelle SimlerBeginning with front end-pages showing samples of the many shades of blue incorporated into the stunning illustrations, the double-page drawings begin with the palest of blue backgrounds and shades. As evening deepens, so do the background colors, to deep, dark blues. The text is descriptive, yet simple. “The water’s surface wriggles with frantic silver-blue sardines,” with the color and creature's name in bold text. The end pages at the back show black land masses, dark blue-waters, and a white image of each animal, bird, or creature discussed in the book. A beautiful tribute to all the shades of blue found in the world. Grades K-3 Tamara, Gig Harbor
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The library book by Tom ChapinOn a rainy Saturday, a young girl decides to spend the day at the library. As she browses the shelves, various characters join her in her search for books. The rhyming text is lively, with clever lines about the characters. “‘Don’t take him!’ cries Pinocchio. ‘Don’t take that cat to your address; he always makes a mess.’“ The refrain suggests the ultimate purpose of the library visit, “Oh, I’m going down to the library, picking out a book, check it in, check it out. Gonna say hi to the dictionary, picking out a book, check it in, check it out.” The lively, color illustrations vary from two-page spreads to framed pictures on the page with text. The girl leads various book characters on a parade through the library and down the street. The end page show bookshelves in red and white with sheet music to sing the story to. Some of the text is bold print and in different colors to make it pop out from the background. A great reminder of all the fun that can be had in a library. Grades K-2 Tamara, Gig Harbor
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