Speak Up, Speak Out! The Extraordinary Life of "Fighting Shirley Chisholm"

 Speak Up, Speak Out! The Extraordinary Life of "Fighting Shirley Chisholm" 

by Tonya Bolden

Published Jan. 4, 2022

National Geographic for Kids

Hardcover

144 pages

Narrative Nonfiction

Review copy provided by publisher

Goodreads Summary

From award-winning author Tonya Bolden comes a biography of the first Black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the first Black woman to run for president with a major political party: Shirley Chisholm.
Before there was Barack Obama, before there was Kamala Harris, there was Fighting Shirley Chisholm. A daughter of Barbadian immigrants, Chisholm developed her political chops in Brooklyn in the 1950s and went on to become the first Black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. This “pepper pot,” as she was known, was not afraid to speak up for what she thought was right. While fighting for a better life for her constituents in New York’s 12th Congressional District, Chisholm routinely fought against sexism and racism in her own life and defied the norms of the time. As the first Black woman in the House and the first Black woman to seek the presidential nomination from a major political party, Shirley Chisholm laid the groundwork for those who would come after her.
Extensively researched and reviewed by experts, this inspiring biography traces Chisholm’s journey from her childhood in a small flat in Brooklyn where she read books with her sisters to Brooklyn College where she got her first taste of politics. Readers will cheer Chisholm on to victory from the campaign trail to the hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol, where she fought for fair wages, equal rights, and an end to the Vietnam War. And while the presidential campaign trail in 1972 did not end in victory, Shirley Chisholm shows us how you can change a country when you speak up and speak out.

My Thoughts

This book chronicles Shirley Chisholm's life from childhood to her death in 2005. It is a fascinating and important story of this iconic woman. Bolden's exceptional research combined with the narrative style makes you feel like you are beside her every step of the way. 

This book would appeal most to students in middle school and up. It does not provide support from photographs or text features. While this does not impact the information presented, I do wish there were a few photos sprinkled in. 

Shirley Chisholm was a prolific and powerful speaker. Reading this book, as often happens with good nonfiction, made me want to learn more. Below is a recording of her 1972 speech announcing her campaign to run and the first black woman for president of the United States. 

Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai

Pie in the Sky 
by Remy Lai
Published May, 2019
Henry Holt & Co.
385 Pages
Fiction
Review copy provided by publisher


Goodreads Summary
When eleven-year-old Jingwen moves to a new country, he feels like he’s landed on Mars. School is torture, making friends is impossible since he doesn’t speak English, and he's often stuck looking after his (extremely irritating) little brother, Yanghao.
To distract himself from the loneliness, Jingwen daydreams about making all the cakes on the menu of Pie in the Sky, the bakery his father had planned to open before he unexpectedly passed away. The only problem is his mother has laid down one major rule: the brothers are not to use the oven while she's at work. As Jingwen and Yanghao bake elaborate cakes, they'll have to cook up elaborate excuses to keep the cake making a secret from Mama.
Told in prose and graphic novel elements, this middle-grade novel is about a boy's immigration experience, his annoying little brother, and their cake-baking hijinks!

My Thoughts

Remy Lai has done a wonderful job portraying what it can be like for children who relocate and do not speak the language of their new country. Jingwen is confused, embarrassed, frustrated and angry. It doesn't help that his little brother seems to be making friends and learning English far more easily. Jingwen's desperation is palpable as he feverishly tries to finish making all the cakes he and his father had talked about making for the Pie in the Sky cake shop, hoping that he will feel better by honoring his father. 

Although the book is 385 pages, parts of it are presented using a graphic novel format which help move the story forward. Australian people are drawn looking like aliens and their speech bubbles are nonsense symbols representing how Jingwen sees them. 

This book offers many discussion possibilities for students. It can serve as a mirror for students who are English Language Learners and a window for native students to see what new students may be experiencing as they acclimate to a new country. 

I would recommend it for grades 4-6. 

I would also not recommend that you read Pie in the Sky on an empty stomach. Those cakes just sound so yummy! 

Images from the Macmillan website.

See What Others Have to Say About Pie in the Sky:

Fuse 8 from School Library Journal

Kirkus

Publishers Weekly

Visit Remy Lai's website

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? January 14, 2019

Please visit the amazing blogs: Teach Mentor Texts and Unleashing Readers who host this terrific meme each week.

Here is my reading from the past few weeks. Click on the book covers to learn more about the books.

I LOVED the character of Little Charlie. 

I listened to this one on audio. So good! Grades 5+

Merci has a lot to deal with including navigating middle school and her grandfather's advancing Alzheimer's Disease. Grades 4-6.

I enjoyed this story and kids will like it as well. I wanted a bit more development and felt it moved a little too quickly. But you will want it for your classroom. Grades 4-5. 

Isabella's family becomes "blended" after her parents' divorce. She feels "blended" with a white mother and black father. Draper explores both of these aspects well. It ended abruptly in my opinion, but I did enjoy it. Grades 5-8. 

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Alma and How She Got Her Name by Juana Martinez-Neal

Alma and How She Got Her Name 
by Juana Martinez-Neal
Published April, 2018
Candlewick Press
Picture Book
Hardcover
Fiction
32 Pages

Goodreads Summary
What's in a name? For one little girl, her very long name tells the vibrant story of where she came from — and who she may one day be.
If you ask her, Alma Sofia Esperanza José Pura Candela has way too many names: six! How did such a small person wind up with such a large name? Alma turns to Daddy for an answer and learns of Sofia, the grandmother who loved books and flowers; Esperanza, the great-grandmother who longed to travel; José, the grandfather who was an artist; and other namesakes, too. As she hears the story of her name, Alma starts to think it might be a perfect fit after all — and realizes that she will one day have her own story to tell. In her author-illustrator debut, Juana Martinez-Neal opens a treasure box of discovery for children who may be curious about their own origin stories or names.

My Thoughts

It was not until I reached adulthood that I finally began to appreciate my name. People call me Gigi because that is the nickname my grandmother gave me when I was born. She thought my parents had given me a name that was too long for a baby. My given name is Georgianna. My kindergarten name tag was really long and I had a hard time learning how to spell it. My classmates had names like Kimberly and Nichole or Julie. I was ashamed of my long name that was so different. I was named after a lovely longtime friend of the family and I can now appreciate where my name came from and I like that it is not like everyone else. However, I could totally relate to little Alma who wasn't happy with her long name. 

I love how her father described each ancestor for whom she is named and Alma's reaction as she learned more about them. The names did seem to fit after all. The author gives the reader so much to examine in the illustrations. In each ancestor illustration there is a resemblance or a mannerism that can be seen in Alma. 

This book could spark some interesting discussions about names and how they originated with children at home or with students at school.  

I would recommend it most to ages 3-7. 

See what others have to say about this book:

Publishers Weekly-Starred review

Kirkus

Social Justice Books

Nonfiction Picture Book Wednesday-For The Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story

My Friend Alyson Beecher at Kid Lit Frenzy hosts a weekly link up to share Nonfiction Picture Books. Please visit her amazing website.

For The Right to Learn: Malala Yousafzai's Story
by Rebecca Langston George
Illustrated by Janna Bock
Available September 2015
Capstone Press
Nonfiction Picture Book
42 pages
Digital Review copy obtained by Netgalley




Goodreads Summary
She grew up in a world where women were supposed to be quiet. But Malala Yousafzai refused to be silent. She defied the Taliban's rules, spoke out for education for every girl, and was almost killed for her beliefs. This powerful true story of how one brave girl named Malala changed the world proves that one person really can make a difference.

My Thoughts

Many people are familiar with Malala's story. This book provides information about her story for younger readers in a matter of fact and informative way. The book opens with Malala receiving her Nobel Peace Prize and then flashes back to her early educational experiences. I love how the importance of education and the determination of Malala and her friends to receive an education is at the forefront of this story. The author scaffolds the information in bite-sized pieces that make it easier to understand. Original quotes are woven into the narration and add to the authenticity of the story. The illustrations really bring the story to life and have a soft Disney-like feel to them. I loved the muted earth tones of the desert scenes. Children in America often take their freedoms for granted because they are unaware of the struggles of people in other countries. Of course her shooting and the Taliban is discussed so you will need to be prepared to talk about it. I will definitely be sharing Malala's powerful story with my class this fall. 

Further Reading