Joanne OppenheimCritiques

I knew about this book when it first published, but didn’t get around reading it until now. I’m sorry to have waited so long. An important story, completely inspirational, not only for us librarians, but all Americans.

Genre
Animal books
Picture books for children
Illustration
Detailed
Textured
Subject
Arthropods
Insect behavior
Insects
Nature
Spiders

Great book on a schoolteacher who kept in touch with her Japanese-American students who were sent off to detention camps during WW II.

My 4 and 7 year old kids loved this book. They also like ketchup :)

Good book that introduces a variety of food from different places.

Have you seen birds?

Long-legged tall birds, tiny bug-sized small birds? Spring birds? Early summer garden birds? Autumn birds? Winter birds? Woodland birds? Night birds? Town birds? Farm birds? On-beyond-the-barn birds? Marsh birds? Sea birds? Fishing birds? Sky birds? Have you seen birds?

Thirty-five plasticine-sculpted depictions of birds in a variety of settings grace the pages of this wonderful young reader book. The target audience, six to eight-year-olds [early primary grades] will find much to enjoy in each of the pictures. A whopping fifty-eight different species of birds accompany the simple rhyming text that tells about birds, how they look, what they do, how they sound. A special book for parents and children to enjoy together.

Highly recommended.

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This is a short (48 p) but enjoyable book for children which gives an appealing biography without obvious racism. The book begins with his childhood, telling of the types of games and chores he would do, moves on to his first hunt, covers a few battles, the difference of approach taken by Keokuk, and ends with the tragic attempt to cross the Mississippi, and Black Hawk's captivity.
While no sources or references are given, many details fit with what is known about Black Hawk. One difference is the reason the 4 chiefs who first went to St Louis to meet with the Americans (p.20). The story doesn't hide the Americans glossing over the real meaning of the treaties that were given to be signed, but does not clearly state that this was deliberate. It also implies that only male warriors were killed when the tribe attempted to cross the Mississippi.
About half of each page is a pen & wash brown illustration which nicely fits the story and shows Black Hawk's strong appearance.
I'm reading as many biographies of this hero as I can find, and so far this is the best of the children's books. Now, if I can only find one for a slightly older age group that doesn't make me shudder at the prejudices and stereotypes.

Usable for practicing reading for beginning readers.

Benny's family owns a knishery and sells delicious round dumplings. Then the Tisch family opens a store across the street—selling square knishes—and Benny's papa worries. So he lowers his prices! But Mr. Tisch does too. As each knishery tries to outdo the other, Benny helps his papa realize there's room on Rivington Street for more than one knishery.

A young boy meet a variety of sea animals when the fish on his fishing line pulls him underwater.

Simply wonderful! Both my 3-yo and 8-yo were entranced by the foods from different cultures presented in this fun book! Perhaps a few more iterations will entice my 3-yo to try something new on his plate too!

Discusses different types of birds
1 book

the book discusses the different kinds of bugs and where they would be found.
1 book

Very insightful book covers a dark chapter in American history with a detailed primary source-laden account of the daily life in Japanese-American concentration camps from the 1940s. It drives you mad to imagine the United States allowing such an institutional racist act to fester for as long as it did and with so little regard for the Japanese Americans who were imprisoned there. The book is written with a slight bent toward the young readers (many of the last sentences of a chapter end with exclamation points). The book is offers many surprising facts in its text and its rich library of images. An anti-Japanese cartoon by Dr. Seuss, descriptions of the horrible bathroom facilities accorded to the Japanese-Americans, and the fact that Eisenhower's older brother was placed in charge of the military organization charged with relocating the Asian-American population are just a few examples of the level of detail this amazing book holds on its subject. The primary sources that offer glimpses into the venomous hatred many held toward the Japanese is striking; ranging from state governors to regular people writing letters into their local newspapers. The presentation of the book is top-notch, filled with many fascinating pictures and clear layouts for the various first person accounts. One comes away with a better understanding of the racism directed against the Japanese during this time as well as measure of respect for both librarian Clara Breed and First Lady Eleonore Roosevelt.

This book looks at birds of a feather from all over the place - birds of different sizes, birds in different places, birds doing different things. Woodland birds, night birds, farm birds and city birds - it covers them all, with 35 amazing illustrations depicting 58 different species of birds wonderfully rendered in Reid's highly detailed plasticine art.

Rhyming verse accompanies detailed paper sculptures in this stunning book which gives readers a vivid view of the lives of bugs, from their shapes to the work they do. Full color.

I'm not 100% sure of the science, but Oppenheim's rollicking rhyme makes this a fun 'Level 2 Reader.' The cartoony pictures are a good match for the text.

Brothers are rivals. Big brothers dominate, little brothers scheme to get even. But in the end, they are bound together. Oppenheim explores this classic theme lightly and concisely, with plenty of humor and excitement. Their adventures sure are fun, too, because they have such creative imaginations.

Oppenheim has a way with a rhyme - if you are in the market for leveled 'readers' try to get some of hers. The cartoony pictures by Demarest suit this adaptation of the classic fable perfectly.

Clara Breed was a children's librarian in San Diego who, during the Japanese internment, kept in touch with several of her young Japanese patrons. The book discusses the vitriolic attitudes of the country against the Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and the "justification" for their evacuation and internment. Miss Breed exchanged many letters with her young friends and also sent along packages of books, small toys, and items requested by the children and their families. The reprinted letters are all by the kids; no letters from Miss Breed have been found, although the author cites a couple of library journal articles by Miss Breed in support of the Japanese. A compelling aspect of history, seen through the eyes of the younger internees and their trustworthy friend the librarian.

This book is based on real life letters between students interned during World War II and their librarian. It's a great demonstration of compassion in the face of trauma and injustice. I love this book because it acts as a reminder to be sensitive to the victims of conflict and mistreatment based on their ethnicity.