AN AMERICAN PLAGUE by
Jim Murphy
Summary
An American
PLAGUE is a nonfiction book written by Jim Murphy that describes the events of
the 1793 yellow fever epidemic that killed so many people in Philadelphia. Author
Murphy does an excellent job describing the events that took place during our
history. The unknown cause of the illness, the efforts of George Washington and
Benjamin Rush and the important role free black Philadelphians played during
this time period make this book a nonfictional masterpiece.
Analysis
Author Jim Murphy does a great job providing the
reader with a list of sources supporting all his findings. Most sources are
accompanied by a personal comment by the author about the subject matter.
Murphy also provides the reader with firsthand nonmedical and medical accounts
as well as sources about yellow fever and other deadly plagues. The book is
also filled with important facts, such as the presidency during 1793 and the
location of the nation’s capital. Small details like these add to the integrity
of the text. Murphy also provides
accurate dates in history and important information about yellow fever
symptoms; “The skin and eyeballs turned yellow, as red blood cells were
destroyed, causing the bile pigment bilirubin to accumulate in the body; nose,
gums, and intestines began bleeding; and the patient vomited stale, black
blood.” The book has won numerous
awards, The Robert F. Sibert Medal and the Newberry Honor to name a few. Jim
Murphy has authored over twenty-five books and is winner to many awards and
recognitions such as the SCBWI Golden Kite Award and the NCTE Orbis Pictus
Award.
The book has a clear sequence pattern which allows
the reader to follow the story in time line segments. A table of contents is
provided at the beginning of the book. At the end of the book along with the
bibliography and acknowledgments is an easy to read index. Each chapter page
begins with a heading and a brief quote from a historical person written around
the 1793 era.
The AN AMERICAN PLAGUE book offers different
illustrations based on the information provided. It starts with a map showing
where the yellow fever took place throughout the city of Philadelphia. Some of
the illustrations are pages from articles written in 1793 that include
advertisements, actual lists of deceased individuals, notes and other
information pertaining to the yellow fever epidemic. There is a portrait of a
man done in watercolor from 1819; according to the text it is possibly one of
the first illustrations showing a person with this terribly illness (Murphy, 13
and 14). All pictures are in black and white taken from different resources
such as the New York Magazine. Also, The Library Company of Philadelphia
provided some of the illustrations as well as The Historical Society of
Pennsylvania. The text Murphy writes
collaborate perfectly with the illustrations shown.
This incredible book offers different aspects of
styles. Besides offering accurate information, Murphy also provides personal
comments and historical information of actual events that took place during the
yellow fever epidemic. Murphy makes sure to give the correct information about
what happened with the black helpers in Philadelphia as well as professional
information of different important doctors who saved many lives like Dr.
Benjamin Rush during this time period. The author makes sure not to mention
what caused the yellow fever until the end of the story adding suspense and
curiosity to the text. The story gives a lot of details allowing the reader to
imagine the terrifying experience each Philadelphia citizen went through. This
book meets all the expectations of an informational book with a quality and
exciting story twist.
Reviews
“The author
masterfully weaves facts and fascinating stories in describing the course of
the disease and the heroic roles played by a few doctors and the free African-American citizens of the city.”—School
Library Journal, Spring2004.
“A mesmerizing,
macabre account that will make readers happy they live in the 21st
century.”—Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2003.
Connections
Activities-
Children can go over health issues and the
importance of them.
Children can learn more about similar diseases like the
West Nile virus and preventive measures.
Related Book-
The Great Fire by Jim Murphy
The American Plague by Molly Caldwell Crosby
Bibliography
2003. "AN
AMERICAN PLAGUE (Book)." Kirkus Reviews 71, no. 7: 538. Academic
Search Complete, EBSCOhost (accessed October 29, 2013).
Murphy, Jim. 2003. AN AMERICAN PLAGUE. New York:
Clarion Books. ISBN 0395776082
Wooten, Deborah A.
2004. "An American Plague: The True
and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793 (Book)." School
Library Journal 50, 31. Academic Search Complete, EBSCOhost
(accessed October 29, 2013).
THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST by Sy Montgomery and Photographed
by Nic Bishop
Summary
The Tarantula
Scientist written by Sy Montgomery and photographed by Nic Bishop is part of a series called: Scientist
in the Field. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST is an excellent book that introduces the
reader to different spiders found in the jungles of French Guiana. Spider
scientist also known as an Arachnologist, Sam Marshall takes the reader on an
adventure filled with harry crawling creatures, and also discusses other little
bugs and reptiles that live among spiders inside the jungle.
Analysis
The TARANTULA SCIENTIST was carefully researched and
written. Author Sy Montgomery and photographer Nic Bishop joined Sam Marshall
in this great expedition in South America. Sam Marshall is an Assistant
Professor at Hiram College in Ohio and both Sy Montgomery and Nic Bishop
visited him there for the purpose of this book. The book was also edited and
criticized by Dr. Gary Galbreath, Editor Amy Flynn and Kate O’Sullivan. A
bibliography is also provided at the end of the book which enhances the quality
of the information found in this text. Sy Montgomery has written countless
books about nature and its inhabitants such as the Quest for the Tree Kangaroo,
The Snake Scientist and much more. She is the winner of many awards and
recognitions such as the 2009 New England Independent Booksellers Association
Nonfiction Award, the 2010 Children’s Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the Henry
Bergh Award for Nonfiction.
The presentation of the book is simple. It does not
have a table of contents, but the sequence is easy to follow. The text begins
with a heading titled “Queen of the Jungle and continues with “Science and
Spiders” for a total of seven headings. The book also offers a small index
which is very helpful for the reader.
The book is filled with wonderful photographs
detailing different spiders that add to the wonderful explanation about these
harry creatures. Photographer Nic Bishop does an excellent job with these
pictures. Each photograph adds to the wonderful information found throughout
the book.
The style of the text reveals Sy Montgomery’s
passion for the work she does. Sy has written other books about nature and
animals and this text reflects the interest she has in the subject. The book is
an informative book that allows the reader to learn and also inspires their
interest about the subject matter.
Reviews
Bristling
with quotes ("Tarantulas are the tigers of the leaf litter") and full
of spider lore, this excellent study reveals a scientist happily at work in the
field and the lab, asking intelligent questions and finding factual answers. --
School Library Journal. October 2005
They
accompany Marshall on a research trip to the rainforests of French Guiana, and
document his enthusiasm for large, hairy "spider dinosaurs" in crisp,
detailed photographs and clear, lively prose. -- Kirkus Reviews. February 15,2004
Connections
Activities-
Children can explore more about different kinds of
spiders.
A film about spiders will enhance children’s knowledge
after reading the Tarantula Scientist book.
Related Book-
Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World’s Strangest Parrot
by Sy Montgomery and Photographs by Nic Bishop
Bibliography
2004. "THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST." Kirkus
Reviews 72, no. 4: 182. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October 25,
2013).
Montgomery, Sy. 2004. THE TARANTULA SCIENTIST.
Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN 0618147993
Manning, Patricia. 2005. "The Tarantula Scientist." School
Library Journal 51, no. 10: 64. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October
25, 2013).
Montgomery, Sy (n.d.). Symontgomery.com. Retrieved
from http://symontgomery.com/
What to do about Alice?. By
Kerley, Barbara
Plot
WHAT TO DO ABOUT ALICE is a great picture book
biography about one of America’s most beloved individual? The story takes place
mostly around Washington D.C, where Alice grew up. Author Barbara Kerley does an
excellent job describing the life of Alice Roosevelt in this story; from the
time she would jump on her grandparent’s favorite couch to when she becomes a
personal advisor to her father the 26th president of the United
States.
Analysis
The biography of Alice Roosevelt found in this
picture book written for children are excellent. Author Kerley does a great job
introducing us to factual pieces of American history by describing the life of
Alice. Great facts, like the presidency of Theodore Roosevelt and the point
that Alice was self-educated are filled throughout the book. However, Barbara
Kerley does an even better job connecting the reader with the main character.
At the end of the story the reader will have a good sense of who Alice really
was.
The story is well arranged because it takes the
reader through various life events about Alice, her father and a bit of
presidential history. The author gives detailing events such as when Alice
refused to attend a boarding school and later in her life when she wed Nicholas
Longworth.
The reader will enjoy all the mischief Alice gets
herself into not only by the text, but also by the wonderful illustrations
found in the book. Each picture is filled with details about Alice and the
trouble she gets into. The story and images complement one another in every
page. Each picture is carefully crafted with details; like the entrance to the
White House or the headlines found on the newspapers.
The accurateness of the story can be found in the
author’s notes at the end of the book. Barbara Kerley provides some factual
information about Alice, her father and the life they shared within these notes.
The book also provides sources for the quotes used in the picture biography
book. Both the notes and the sources are important features of the book that
add to the credibility of the story about Alice.
Reviews
“Readers
can call her actions what they will as they follow Alice sneaking out at night;
riding trays down the White House stairs; or diving, fully clothed, into a
ship’s pool.” -- Horn Book Magazine. March/April 2008
“It's
hard to imagine a picture book biography that could better suit its subject
than this high-energy volume serves young Alice Roosevelt.” -- Publishers
Weekly. March 31, 2008
Connections
Activities-
Children can explore more about the presidency,
Theodore Roosevelt and children living in the Whitehouse.
Children can research old newspaper articles usually
found in public libraries about Alice Roosevelt and Theodore Roosevelt.
Related Book-
White House Kids: The
Perks, Pleasures, Problems, and Pratfalls of the Presidents' Children,
by Joe Rhatigan and illustrated by Jay Shinn
Bibliography
2008. "What
to Do About Alice?." Publishers Weekly 255, no. 13: 61. MasterFILE
Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October 25, 2013).
B., C. 2008. "What
to Do about Alice?: How Alice Roosevelt Broke the Rules, Charmed the World, and
Drove Her Father Teddy Crazy." Horn Book Magazine 84, no. 2: 227.
MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October 25, 2013).
Coleman, Jennifer. 2013. "White House Kids: The Perks, Pleasures,
Problems, and Pratfalls of the Presidents' Children." Library Media
Connection 31, no. 5: 89. MasterFILE Premier, EBSCOhost (accessed October 25,
2013).
Kerley, Barbara. 2008. What to do about Alice?. by Edwin Fotheringham. New York:
Scholastic Press. ISBN 9780439922319.
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