biography – Page 2 – One Chapter

How Sweet the Sound: The Story of Amazing Grace by Carole Boston Weatherford

This wasn’t what I thought this book would be like, but it’s a start. This song was a favorite of my grandmothers and it’s also one of my mother’s favorite songs, when I saw the cover, I knew I had to read it. I wondered what the song’s words came from and what they meant as it’s sang a lot at funerals and religious services.

The song began with John Newton aboard a slave ship. He’s a passenger as the ships being tossed about, during a stormy night. John hears the crew complaining as he worries about the ship going down with the storm. As the storm whips around him, John reflects back on his life.

John’s father was a sea captain and his mother stayed home and took care of him. She took him to church and John was a good Christian boy. When she died, John put on his sea legs and went with his father to the sea, where he got into trouble and he became a wild fellow. This was the time that he also met his wife, Mary.

The storm grabs John’s attention as the boat is being torn apart. Everyone fears the worse and hopes the best. The illustrations capture the fear that these individuals felt. Fortunately, they do eventually find land and John later retires. Once an individual who transported slaves, John now preaches to end slavery. I had a few questions about things that were happening here as it seemed rather choppy. John now writes the first lines to this famous song. Those lines travel across sea and land where other individuals sing them and add their own words to them until ……..we have a song. What? Yep! There are Author Notes at the back (which I highly recommend you read), Additional Reading and Info, and Amazing Grace (the song).

I feel that the illustrations captured the energy of this book. They were bold, colorful, and the individuals presented were nicely done. I was surprised at how much of the book was devoted to the life of John and how much of the book was devoted to the song, itself. Then, to find out that he only wrote the first lines to the song. That was a huge surprise to me! The Author’s Notes at the back of the book need to be read as I found them very informative. They helped answer some of my questions and put the book together for me. I also liked having all the verses of the song together in the back, with the nice illustration in the background, that was a nice touch. I was disappointed that not more was written about the rest of the song though.

Girl on a Motorcycle by Amy Novesky

She wants to write and to wander. It’s her dream to wander that has won and now, it’s time to go, with no destination in sight. I really enjoyed this picture book which is based on a true story as this girl follows her heart. I enjoyed how this book shows how she prepared herself, how she set off and then, how she fulfills her dream.

In this time period, seeing a girl riding a motorcycle alone, exploring the world by herself was different. Some individuals accepted this notion and some didn’t. She’d camp out at night and get to know the area she was in. When I say that she was alone, I mean she’s really alone. She’s experiencing the world around her firsthand and she’s enjoying herself.

She looks isolated and different amongst some of the sights yet this is her dream. She is experiencing a once-in-a-lifetime experience visiting all these different cities, meeting all these individuals, and indulging in all the different cultures. Miles, upon miles are on her tires. When she finally arrives back home, she’s not the girl that she once was.

“She wears the world like a beautifully embroidered scarf,

all the places she’s been, the things she’s seen.”

This is a wonderfully written book that is printed on cardstock paper. You’ll be feeling the wind on your face as you ride along with the girl on her journey as you read this book. I enjoyed each of her stops and I felt myself relaxing as I read this book. It is a very nice picture book. In the back of the book, there is a two-page section on Anne-France Dautheville, for which this book is based on. Anne-France was the first woman to take a solo ride on her motorcycle, around the world. Filled with great information and photographs, you don’t want to miss this section.

Digging For Words by Angela Burke Kunkel

It all began when Jose spotted this thick book while out on his route. After digging the book out of the trash, Jose was hooked. He had been whisked away from his life as a garbage collector, as he read the words on the pages and now, as he drove through the streets of Bogota, he looked for other books that individuals had discarded and he carried them home in his truck.

It wasn’t long before Jose was bringing home stacks of books after his nightly route. Jose has his favorites among the stacks that he has rescued but he also just loves adding to the collection. We will refer to him as Senor Jose.

Let me introduce you to a younger Jose, first Jose. He looks forward to Saturdays. On Saturday, all the neighborhood children get up and they run down the street. It might look like they’re in a race and they are, to some extent. They’re racing to Paradise. With a warm smile on his face, Senor Jose is holding open the door to Paradise while the children race inside. The children don’t know exactly what Paradise holds for them this Saturday but they do know that they will love the journey they will experience while they are there.

What a beautiful tribute to this wonderful man who saved hundreds of discarded books from the trash. He thought not only of himself when he discovered these treasures but he opened his doors, so that others could enjoy his riches too. His story is inspiring, it emits an energy as you’re reading it. The illustrations are attractive and they add to the storyline. There’s an informative Author’s Note, Selected Online Sources, and Featured Books sections located in the back of the book that should be read also. 5 stars

Bunheads by Misty Copeland

Young Misty is attending her first ballet lesson and as the teacher explains their upcoming recital, Misty knows this is where she wants to be. Coppelia! This recital sounds like an exciting one.

As the girls’ practice and go through their positions, Misty follows along, unaware that her teacher is watching her. When Misty is paired with Cat, another girl in the class, the two girls form an instant friendship. It was as if, Misty had found her place in the world. As the girls danced together, there was harmony and balance. There were no contests for greatness, no disputes among the dancers, they were working for excellence. It was so nice to see and read about. To witness this harmony and to feel its greatness, it just made me smile.

This was a great read. The energy in the illustrations and the story was definitely felt. I think many children will enjoy this story as it moves quickly and there are some good points to be made in the story. There are some difficult words and some ballet terms in the story, so be aware of that otherwise, it’s a fantastic, entertaining story.

Everything Sad is Untrue by Daniel Nayeri

This is the story of Daniel; he’s not sitting beside you as you read this book but it’ll seem like he is. Daniel is telling his classmates about Iran, exactly how he remembers it and what it was like when he left that country, because that’s important.

Twelve-year-old Daniel currently lives in Oklahoma with his family. Residing in Mrs. Miller’s classroom, Daniel knows about inequity and how individuals feel about Persians. Giving his own personal story, Daniel wants his classmates to know him, to know who he is, as a person. So, sit back and enjoy his story. For these are his own memories, his whole personal life (his twelve years) you will be holding securely in your own two hands.

I adored this book, I really did. I loved how he wrote the book; the way that I felt a part of it and how the style of writing he used, personalized the book. The stories he wrote were interesting and they felt genuine and vivid. When the family fled Iran with their hard, gray suitcase and his memories of his extended family, even the smallest of details, felt so important. What a great treasure!

“If you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.” ….. “It’ll be alright in the end, folks. If it’s not alright, then it’s not the end.”

(Wow, I really enjoyed this and it made me stop and think, it’s so true. If you want a happy ending to whatever is happening, keep going till you get one. If you feel you’re getting an unhappy ending, keep going, perhaps you’re not at the end and you can change things.)

The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come by Sue Macy

One man’s mission helps millions. This nonfiction book speaks volume on so many levels. Aaron wanted to preserve his grandmother’s books which started a mission that ended up saving over a million books. He united individuals, he helped save a language, he showed what one person can do, he is bringing back a language, and he is helping people connect.

Aaron couldn’t forget how his grandmother’s journey from Eastern Europe to the U.S. ended. The few treasured possessions that she had carried with her, were now gone yet Aaron wondered about her. His college studies would draw him closer to his grandmother’s past as he realized that he needed to learn a new language to read books for one of his classes. Finding Yiddish books were difficult so Aaron returned to his hometown where he stumbled upon his first stack of Yiddish book which started his collection. I thought it was interesting that the Rabbi was going to bury the books (which is a sign of respect) before Aaron arrived.

Aaron began graduate school in Canada and soon his apartment was flooded with donations of Yiddish books. He transported all the books back to Massachusetts and he didn’t give up even after talking to some important people in the Yiddish community.

I like how there are Yiddish words in the text with a glossary in the back of the book to help you figure out the meaning. The illustrations were well done and compliment the informative and interesting text.

Don’t forget to read the afterword and note from the author, the illustrator’s note which are included at the back of the book also. He also included (at the back of the book) a few sites if you want more information on this topic.

Aaron’s energy, ambition, and compassionate is felt through this book both in words and in the illustrations. It’s inspiring to see how one individual can make such a difference in the world. This book is really fantastic and should be read. I highly recommend it! 5 stars

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpre by Anika Denise

After reading this children’s story and the author’s note on the back two pages, I got chills. This story is fantastic and I am so glad that I picked it up. It tells the true story of a woman who shared stories from her childhood which changed the lives of many. As I read this story, I thought of how she stepped forward and went about making a difference. This woman was not a loud, strong woman. This woman saw a void and wanted to fill it.

The year is 1921 and Pura Teresa leaves San Juan to visit her sister in the U.S. Seeing what the U.S. had to offer, Pura finds a job and begins to settle in. When the library posts a job for a bilingual assistant, Pura knows that she is the perfect individual for the job.

Realizing there are no Puerto Rico folktales on the library shelves, Puro recalls the stories that she heard growing up. As the children gather around her during story hour, Puro doesn’t need any book to read from. Puro’s words are enough that the children are soon whisked away into Puro’s world and imagination. It isn’t long before Puro begins to create puppets to add to her stories and then, the word gets out about Puro and her stories and there is no stopping what happens to these wonderful tales.

This children’s book put a smile on my face and it warmed my heart as I read about her journey through life, sharing her stories. I hoped her journey would never end as she was such a positive individual. This book gives the full account of her life and it truly is a wonderful story. Make sure you read the author’s note which is located in the back of the book. Located also in the back of the book are a few pages on additional resources you could use for more information on topics contained in the story.