All book summaries courtesy of Goodreads.
How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee - Writtcn by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison
In 1936, eighth grader MacNolia Cox became the first African American to win the Akron, Ohio, spelling bee. And with that win, she was asked to compete at the prestigious National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC, where she and a girl from New Jersey were the first African Americans invited since its founding. She left her home state a celebrity—right up there with Ohio’s own Joe Louis and Jesse Owens—with a military band and a crowd of thousands to see her off at the station. But celebration turned to chill when the train crossed the state line into Maryland, where segregation was the law of the land. Prejudice and discrimination ruled—on the train, in the hotel, and, sadly, at the spelling bee itself.
Jumper: A Day in the Life of a Backyard Jumping Spider - Written and illustrated by Jessica Lanan
What if you were small as a bean,
Could walk on the walls and ceiling,
Sense vibrations through your elbows,
And jump five times your body length?
That is Jumper's world.
Open this book to discover the hidden life of a backyard jumping spider.
The Last Plastic Straw: A Plastic Problem and Finding Ways to Fix It - Written by Dee Romito, illustrated by Ziyue Chen
From reeds used by ancient Sumerians to bendy straws in World War II hospitals, people have changed the straw to fit their needs for 5000 years. Today however, this useful tool is contributing to the plastic problem polluting our oceans. Once again, the simple straw needs a reinvention.
With bright illustrations and well-researched text, children can read about the inventors behind the straw’s technological advancements, including primary sources like patents, as well as how disposable plastic harms the environment. See the newest solutions, from plastic straw alternatives to activism by real kids like Milo Cress who started the Be Straw Free campaign when he was 11 years old.
Stinkbird Has a Superpower - Written by Jill Esbaum, illustrated by Bob Shea
Stinkbirds have a lot in common with other birds: they have feathers, wings, and a beak. But they also have . . . a hidden superpower!
Papa Stinkbird can't wait to tell readers just what makes stinkbird chicks so special, but his adorable son keeps interrupting with questions. They banter about the cool things hoatzins do to evade predators and then the chick demonstrates one--jumping into the river! (Don't worry--he can swim!) But he can't fly yet, so how is the chick going to get back up to the nest? You'll have to read to find out his real superpower.
The Day the River Caught Fire: How the Cuyahoga River Exploded and Ignited the Earth Day Movement - Written by Barry Wittenstein, illustrated by Jessie Hartland
After the Industrial Revolution in the 1880s, the Cayuhoga River in Cleveland, Ohio, caught fire almost twenty times, earning Cleveland the nickname “The Mistake on the Lake.” Waste dumping had made fires so routine that local politicians and media didn’t pay them any mind, and other Cleveland residents laughed off their combustible river and even wrote songs about it.
But when the river ignited again in June 1969, the national media picked up on the story and added fuel to the fire of the recent environmental movement. A year later, in 1970, President Nixon created the Environmental Protection Agency—leading to the Clean Water and Clean Air Acts—and the first Earth Day was celebrated. It was a celebration, it was a protest, and it was the beginning of a movement to save our planet.
Butt or Face? - Kari Lavelle
Move over, Jeopardy, Family Feud, and The Price Is Right—this book will be your new favorite laugh-until-your-stomach-hurts family game! In Butt or Face, weird animals are introduced with a close-up photo. Kids must guess: are they seeing seeing...um...err... the bottom or the top?
Readers will learn about animals like Cuban Dwarf Frogs, whose backsides look like a pair of eyes, and the Mary River Turtle, which not only has a unique face, but even breathes through its butt! On every reveal page, complete photos and fascinating facts explain how the critters' camouflage and trickery help them to engage with their habitats.
Jerry Changed the Game! - Written by Don Tate, illustrated by Cherise Harris
As a boy, Jerry loved playing with springs, sprockets, and gadget-y things. When he grew up, Jerry became an engineer—a professional tinkerer—and in the 1970s, he turned his technical know-how to video games. Back then, if players wanted a new video game, they had to buy an entire new console. Jerry was determined to fix this problem, and despite roadblocks along the way and having to repeat a level or two, it was never game over for his mission.
Glitter Everywhere! - Written by Chris Barton, illustrated by Chaaya Prabhat
If you love glitter, this book is for you. If you hate glitter, this book is also for you.Everyone seems to have strong feelings about glitter. But how much do you actually know about it?
Who invented glitter? How is it made? Why does it stick to everything? Is it bad for the environment? And of course: What makes glitter . . . glitter?
Bears are Best! - Written by Joan Holub, illustrated by Laurie Keller
Hello! I am Brown Bear, and in this book, you'll get to learn about ME--the only bear in the forest!
Hold on a minute. Polar Bear here, and I am the only bear in this book. Though I live in the Arctic, not a forest.
Hey now, Spectacled Bear here, and we are bearly-scratching the surface. There are tons of great bears to learn and laugh with in this fact-filled picture book!