Hi guys and gals!
Welcome back to another exciting day here at Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Today, we're joining a month long blog tour already in progress from the folks over at Penguin Young Readers. It stars the amazing Children's Non-Fiction Picture Book series Ordinary People Change the World by Brad Meltzer and highlights eight memorable "characters" from our past still affecting our present in ways you may or may not have known, all in an eye pleasing package with smiles, and humor to boot! It's in that newer category of EDUtainment and it really leaves its mark, but you don't have to just take MY word for it. All month long, you'll find these titles throughout the blogosphere in reviews, spotlights, contests, and a little something more. What's that? Curious about the something more? Keep reading my friends, keep reading.
In today's spotlight is a young man I took quite a fancy to when I was in school and still hold high in my mind to this day. He's best known visually for sporting a beard, stovepipe hat, and perhaps being able to tell if it was raining before others, but action wise...he created quite a stir. Let's get to it, shall we? Ladies and gents, girls and boys of all ages, "Four score and seven years ago..." our book of choice is ...
by
Brad Meltzer
Illustrated by
Christopher Eliopoulos
9780803740839
Dial Books
"Abraham Lincoln was a kid who stood up to bullies and believed in fairness for everyone..."
That statement is so true and is exhibited throughout his life. From his formative days in Kentucky where he soaked up book knowledge like a sponge and latched on to the idea of being a "friend to the people" to his dealings with the Clary Grove boys who would have loved nothing more than to taunt and torture the "new kid" all of his days (but he'd have none of it because although he was a peace seeker, he knew sometimes action was the only way to put down injustice) all the way to the White House, the ideals he developed about all men being free and justice for all would stand long after his passing to create a legacy we still look to today. Speaking as one who took a great interest in this man's life and achievements in my own schooling days, I found this to be a great stepping stone into his world, emphasizing all the little things that became monumental in his time while keeping it light enough to snag the attention of the lightest of readers.
The illustrations in this series so wonders to bring the story to life for all ages, not just the wee ones, and the humor running throughout brings a smile to your face (watch for the running gag about the penny). It's a great addition to a series aimed at bringing little ones into the historical fold that will leave them with not only a fun time being had, but an easier way of understanding the BIG steps this ORDINARY man took to create a country for one and all. Talk about inspirational...and it just might spark that desire for positive change in the next generation.
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So, now it's time to get creative.
We were given free reign to come up with an interactive portion for our posts as long as it was something FUN, interesting, and innovative to get readers more involved. With our leading man here, there are several dozen amazing ideas one could go with from making stovepipe hats to bookmarks, writing out the Gettysburg Address on look-a-like parchment to practicing honesty and fairness in our daily dealings (something I think we should all do anyway), but when crunch time came, I went with something a bit more crafty.
As you may have known or at least know now, Lincoln was born February 12, 1809 in Hodgenville, Kentucky...in a log cabin. That's right, a LOG CABIN...do Lincoln Logs ring a bell? I thought they might. ^-^ Now don't worry, I'm not asking you to build a full scale model, but to have a little fun and BUILD YOUR OWN LOG CABIN! Think you're up to the task? We're about to find out. First things first...
...your basic instructions and supplies!
Next, a little symmetry in creating your walls and roof...
...and the ability to repeat that process x 5 1/2 (Please note this is not an exact science, it's meant to be FUN, so have FUN with it)....
...now the door option is up to you. You an make it functional or merely decorative...
... but if you're getting a tad fancy, make sure you've and adult to help with breaking/cutting the craft sticks! Now that you've got the sides and roof made, it's time to construct!
...which was actually a tad harder than I thought at first! It took some time to play with the sides to get things to stick. In the end, I ended up removing a stick towards the bottom on the roof pieces and snapping a piece on each wall to creating a "Lincoln log" locking effect to make it stand. The end result?
TADA!
Not too shabby, though I'm sure some of you (or most) could probably shame me in that department, which is FINE by me. ^-^
So, grab your friends, family, class, or even a random edutainment fan, and have some fun!
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Special thanks to Rachel at Penguin Young Readers for the chance to bring this tour to you as well as the review copy. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the series, the author, the publisher, or the tour, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now via Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing. Now, before you go...
Until next time...happy reading!
I love this series! I am over the moon that there are getting to be more books like this for young readers. And your log cabin is SO CUTE! I'm going to have to make that with my kids. :)
ReplyDeleteDena @ Batch of Books
I would give these books to my grandson. I think this would be a great learning experience for him!
ReplyDeletemittens0831 at aol dot com