Informational picture books
Informational book
Picture book biographies
Biography/autobiography for middle or high schoolers
I'll be sharing about these two: George Washington's Teeth by Deborah Chandra and I Am Scout: A Biography of Harper Lee by Charles J. Sides.
Chandra, D. (2003). George Washington's Teeth. New York, NY: Farrar Straus Giroux.
Such a fun book! This tells the story of George Washington's life long dental problems. Clever writing accompanied by wonderful illustrations follow George from the time he's twenty-one (with a mouth full of black, rotten teeth), through the Revolutionary War (teeth either falling out or being pulled on a regular, and painful, basis), through his presidency (spending about $100 a year on medical bills while doling out about $1000 a year for dental bills) and up to his death (believed to be from an infection in rotten tooth-roots that spread through his body). Readers learn that George made many of his own dentures, had cotton in his cheeks in some of his famous portraits to keep his face from looking so sallow, and that none of the false teeth he used were made of wood.
This is a great book for readers of ANY age but is a must have in an elementary library. The timeline/facts in the back of the book enhance the simply told story. Really makes you reconsider your own dental pain when you learn how much George Washington suffered while he was doing so much for our country!
Following are reviews from Kirkus and Through the Looking Glass:
GEORGE WASHINGTON’S TEETH (reviewed on December 15, 2002)
Now It Can Be Told: that severe, square-jawed look that the Father of Our Country flashes in his portraits reveals not only strength of character, but also his struggle to hide the fact that he was nearly (entirely, later in life) toothless by keeping a succession of spring-loaded false teeth in place. Drawing information from Washington’s own writings, the authors deliver a double account of his dental tribulations: first in sprightly rhyme—Martha “fed him mush and pickled tripe, / But when guests came to dine, / He sneaked one of his favorite nuts. / Then he had only nine”—followed by a detailed, annotated timeline. Cole’s (Larky Mavis, 2001, etc.) freely drawn, rumpled-looking watercolors document the countdown as well, with scenes of the unhappy statesman at war and at home, surrounded by family, attendants (including dark-skinned ones), and would-be dentists, all in authentic 18th-century dress. Contrary to popular belief, Washington’s false teeth were made not of wood, but of real teeth and hippo ivory; a photo of his last set closes this breezy, sympathetic, carefully-researched vignette on a note that will have readers feeling the great man’s pain—and never looking at his painted visage the same way again. (source notes) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: Feb. 3rd, 2003
ISBN: 0-374-32534-0
Page count: 40pp
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
George Washington's Teeth
Deborah Chandra, Madeleine Comora
Illustrator: Brock Cole
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003 ISBN: 0374325340
A toothless George Washington! How is it that we have never heard about this side of our first president's life? It is with great enjoyment that we read the amusing rhyming lines about poor George Washington's trials and tribulations on the teeth front. One by one his teeth fell out as he bravely went forth and fought the British. When Washington came home at last, the redcoats vanquished, he only had five teeth in his head. Then, try as he might, those five fell out too. What was this leader of leaders to do?Illustrator: Brock Cole
Nonfiction Picture Book
For ages 4 to 7
Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2003 ISBN: 0374325340
It is with great relief that we read that it was George Washington's own ingenuity which saved the day. He found all the teeth he lost and had a pair of false teeth made. As we follow Washington on his various adventures, we participate in events of those early days of the American Republic, and we see that even the most famous of people had very commonplace problems. With lively watercolor illustrations this is a book to read again and again.
Shields, C.J. (2008). I Am Scout: A Biography of Harper Lee. New York, NY: Henry Holt and Co.
As a long-time fan of To Kill A Mockingbird, I was anxiously looking forward to reading this biography of Harper Lee. It was wonderful. This is the scaled-down version of Shields' earlier publication, Mockingbird, which is a more detailed biography aimed at adult readers; I'm looking forward to reading it so I can compare/contrast his two offerings. I Am Scout is basically Nelle (Ellen spelled backwards - an homage to her grandmother) Harper Lee's life story. It's packed with information about her childhood, her family, her hometown, her friendship with Truman Capote, her time at the University of Alabama (of particular interest to me since I'm an alumni!), how To Kill A Mockingbird came to be, what it was like to make the movie, and how she has purposefully stayed out of the spotlight in the years since.
Perfect for middle school/high school readers since To Kill A Mockingbird is often assigned reading for that age group. Obviously interesting to anyone who loves the book, but also recommended for anyone interested in Truman Capote or in the writing/publishing world. Fans of Gregory Peck will also find some interesting details about his acting process. Highly recommended!
Following are reviews from School Library Journal and Kirkus:
SHIELDS, Charles J. I Am Scout: The Biography of Harper Lee. 272p. photos. reprods. bibliog. index. notes. CIP. Holt. Apr. 2008. Tr $18.95. ISBN 978-0-8050-8334-7. LC 2007027572.
Gr 6 Up—This biography is a reworking of the best-selling Mockingbird (Holt, 2006), adapted for young adults. Shields spotlights Lee's lifelong friendship with Truman Capote and the creation of To Kill a Mockingbird, showing how the publication and success of that book affected the rest of her life. Shields uses previously conducted interviews with Lee and her family, friends, and neighbors. He pulls from books, magazine articles, newspapers, and radio and television interviews to piece together this life story of the notoriously press-shy Lee. The author's clear and appealing style is much the same as in Mockingbird and this adaptation appears to have been not so much edited as streamlined. Photos include Lee, her family, friends, and the famous Hollywood actors who made the film version of her book. I Am Scout moves along at a good pace, and Lee's quiet life makes for a surprisingly fascinating read. Perhaps because Shields is pulling from so many sources, the occasional turn of phrase comes across as oddly formal, but generally, this is an immensely readable, intriguing tale of a quiet, private author.—Geri Diorio, The Ridgefield Library, CT
KirkusShields, Charles J. I AM SCOUT: A BIOGRAPHY OF HARPER LEE
I AM SCOUT (reviewed on March 15, 2008)
The life of one of literature’s greatest one-hit wonders is presented for young readers in an adapted version of the author’s Mockingbird: A Portrait of Harper Lee (2006). Starting with Lee’s childhood, he chronicles her Southern upbringing in a family that, while not open to discussions about emotional issues, always supported intellectual pursuits. Encouraged by her father and sister, both attorneys, Lee attended college and later moved to New York to pursue a writing career. The text does an excellent job of conveying the facets of Lee’s personality that made her a writing success, including her honesty, tenacity, sense of justice and adaptability of interpersonal style. In addition to detailing her writing of To Kill a Mockingbird, Shields demonstrates Lee’s critical role in the creation of longtime friend Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood. Prior knowledge of both works is not absolutely necessary, thanks to an absorbing and easy narrative style; still, readers may not pick this up unless they already have an interest in Lee’s life. (black-and-white photos, notes, bibliography, index) (Biography. YA)
As usual, lots of ideas for library/classroom activities with these books. George Washington's Teeth is a great choice for anything associated with the founding fathers, the Revolutionary War, or the presidents. It'd also be great to use in units that promote healthy teeth and gums (it'd be great to see copies in dental offices!). And, as mentioned, I Am Scout is an obviously tie-in to teaching To Kill A Mockingbird......and since that particular is sometimes on the banned/challenged list, it would also work well during Banned Book Week promotions so students could read about the author of a banned book! Additionally, it'd be addition to a unit/lesson about authors, particularly female authors.
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