Tuesday March 9, 2010
Tween Tuesday is a meme I first saw at
Green Bean Teen Queen and really liked because she is also a librarian who deals with teens and tweens. So, since most of my blog is devoted to YA and teen books I figured that on Tuesdays I can do posts for all the tweeners out there!
John Brown: His Fight for Freedom
Written and Illustrated by John Hendrix
Abrams Books for Young Readers
Published on the 150th anniversary of John Brown’s raid on Harpers Ferry, this biography explores the life of one of American history’s most controversial figures. A great deal of academic study has been published recently about John Brown. This is the first book for young readers to include these new attitudes and research.
In the late 1850s, at a time when many men and women spoke out against slavery, few had the same impact as John Brown, the infamous white abolitionist who backed his beliefs with unstoppable action. His dedication to freeing the American slaves made him one of the most recognizable leaders in the liberation movement to end slavery.
Told through engaging, thoughtful narration and bold, dynamic illustrations, John Brown: His Fight for Freedom is a fitting reminder that all men and women are created equal, and that some things are worth fighting for. The book includes an author’s note, a bibliography, and an index.
Review:
What will draw kids to pick up this book is the stunning artwork...it is amazing what can be done with a pen, some ink and acrylic paint! This is a wonderful story about a man before his time. A man who didn't see color, he just saw another human being.
The story itself does not sugar-coat Johns reputation as a passionate (albeit zealous) opponent of slavery. His methods of fighting slavery have been debated over the last 150 years but his focus to end the barbaric practice of owning other human beings has never been questioned.
I think this is a great book for discussion in the middle grades for all different levels of readers. It really opens the door for kids to debate the question....Was John Brown was a hero for civil rights or an over zealot vigilante?
The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary
How Greg Heffley Went Hollywood
by Jeff Kinney
Amulet
Available March 16, 2010
Go behind the scenes with Jeff Kinney and the making of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie!
If you've ever wondered how a movie gets made, you're not alone. Author and illustrator Jeff Kinney didn't know either, but when his bestselling series, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, was turned into a live-action movie by 20th Century Fox, he learned how a book gets adapted into a major motion picture.
Complete with photographs, script pages, storyboard sketches, costume designs, and original art by Jeff Kinney, The Wimpy Kid Movie Diary is the perfect companion to the bestselling series.
Review:
It was a lot of fun to watch the progress of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series in this latest addition to these very popular books. From the authors very first sketches in notebooks to various scenes out of the new movie readers can see how it all started.
I was really impressed by the depth and amount information that the author provides on how a book is turned into a movie! Everything from making a script from the story, detailing and developing all the characters and finding the right director to auditions for each part.
I would have to say that any question a kid (or adult for that matter) could come up with in regards to how the Diary of a Wimpy Kid movie was made would be found in this book. Seriously...they even show the stages of developing the villainous stinky piece of cheese!
I find it hard to believe that anyone would have to try very hard to get a kid to read any one of the Diary of a Wimpy kid books and this one will be no exception! Hey, even you adults out there will find this one interesting :)
Visit the movie website
HERE 
