Children's Books
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This graphic novel shares the stories of three adventurers in the 1800's who circumnavigated the globe in three different ways. Inspired by Jules Verne's novel Around the World in 80 Days, Thomas Stevens, Nellie Bly, and Joshua Slocum each travel independently completing journeys that received attention from a public that craved to hear more. Thomas Stevens made the journey on a high-wheel bicycle in1884. Nelly Bly was a reporter who raced against time in 1889 to beat the previous record held by Phileas Fogg's 80 days. And Joshua Slocum sailed alone on his boat, the Spray, in 1895. Each was successful despite the specific hardships and delays. Readers will find the tales fascinating. Low on text and high on emotion, this is recommended for children in grades 4-8 who enjoy people stories and their adventures, and wonder what would drive a person to undertake such a feat. Because mostly, this is about the personal decisions of each to undertake their journey, and covers only this portion, as opposed to a biography of their entire lives. The artwork uses subtle tones and will appeal to reluctant readers who enjoy the graphic format. Maps show the routes taken by each traveler. 
This beautiful, simple, and touching story follows the life and seasons of the animals and plants in the Arctic. From the polar bears and Arctic foxes, to the mighty whales, animals survive the harsh winters and the milder summers on top of the world. It is quite an incredible event, this Arctic migration. Animals journey north to the Arctic in the summer and south in the winter. Only the polar bear and the arctic fox can stand the harsh conditions of the winter. Other animals enjoy the sweet grass on the tundra during the Arctic summers. Soft, water color illustrations, follow the animals' journeys north and south, and north again. Written in a lyrical, poetic text, this book offers children a good introduction to the Arctic wildlife. This story would also be a good starting point for discussions about global warming, and the effects it is having on the polar bears, and other animals. A glossary, an index, and general information about the Arctic, are included at the back of the book. Recommended for students in grades 2-5. 
Images of cowboys and Indians, horses and cattle, and the California Gold Rush, all bring to mind the setting of the Wild West. We think of the famous men of the wild west, such as Jesse James and Wild Bill Hickock, but did you ever think of the women of the wild west? Sure, the men were brave and survived the battles of war, disease, and pests, but it was the women who helped to shape the Wild West.
This nonfiction book chronicles the time beginning on June 7, 1942 when Japan invaded Alaska. Brought to life through photographs, maps, and first-hand accounts from both sides of the war, it tells the story of what we now call the Forgotten War, the attack by the Japanese on the Aleutian Islands of Alaska following the Pearl Harbor attack. The U.S. denied that these islands were attacked saying, "none of our inhabited islands or rocks are troubled with uninvited visitors up to this time." The natives living there, which included the Aleut and Inuit Indians, might have to disagree. The weather teams set up to provide weather reports for the U.S. military, might also have to disagree. These peope became POWs and were kept in deplorable conditions in Japan. The Indians relocated to camps on mainland Alaska would have to disagree as well. It was interesting to note that while Japan reported the successful invasion to its people, the U.S. denied it. Likewise, the U.S. reported its victory at Midway, while Japan denied that. Code-breaking efforts, war strategy and miscalculations by those in command, Eskimo life, survival on the foggy, cold, nearly unihabitable Aleutian Islands, and the role of the weathermen in the war are all interwoven into this interesting piece of history that most Americans were never aware even happened, because according to the U.S. military, they did not want to induce panic on the population. This would be interesting to those readers who have an interest in history, World War II, or war strategy. Since it has a very high AR level, it would make a good choice for those younger children who need something more difficult to read, but adult readers will also find this fascinating. Extensive source notes are provided at the end. 
Part of the Binky adventures, in which Binky the cat is dismayed when a foster kitten named Gracie is brought into the house. Told in graphic novel format, the unique thing about this series is that Binky is a certified space cat. The adventures take place in the space station (house) which he must protect from the aliens (bugs). This is written in one line sentences with the emotion coming from the sepia toned illustrations. As in real life, Binky's feelings come through with the position of his ears. Gracie turns out to be a surprise for Binky when she reveals her true identity. Now Binky isn't sure he wants her to leave. The vocabulary is a bit challenging but the continual illustrations should encourage young readers in grades 2-4 who enjoy animal stories or graphic novels. 
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