Nonfiction Review 5-Look What Came from Germany- Kevin Davis

 1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Davis, Kevin. Look What Came from Germay.   New York : F. Watts, 1999.
Age Range: 7-8 Lexile: 880

 2. Summary

What do the automobile, cologne, and fairy tales have in common? They all come from Germany. So do hamburgers, Groundhog day, and many other things.
 


3. My Review
  I'm part German and  last week we has a free music program featuring German music, so I was inspired to go and a German-related book. I think this is very informative book and would make a good read aloud ( and would especially want to hear the kids go " I didn't know that came from Germany." I know I'm surprised that birthdays originate from a holiday called Kinderfest, and that even blowing out candles is a German tradition. ) I  also like the amount of pictures used to tell each item featured, plus the resources, craft idea ( which is printing with paint and uncooked food items like potatoes) and German words to learn at the end.Again, this would be a perfect book, especially for a unit on Germany

Overall, a very enjoyable treat. As they say in German, auf Wiedershen (goodbye)!

 4. Classroom Connections

•  Like the book, have children research where food, customs, and other things come from.
• Have a Culture Day and let children wear something related to their culture or bring in a culture-related food item.
• Learn about Grimm fairy tales or other fairy tales from Germany.
• Study famous persons and events of Germany. Ex- Albert Einstein, Berlin Wall, WW II.
• Have an Oktoberfest with apple cider, prezels, and German music.
• Teach Scherenschnitte ( the German art of paper-cutting). Here is a small video.( Note- this might be better do with older kids because of the time needed and the tools).

 
 5.  Website to Check out

 Germany for Kids
Created by the German Information Center in Washington the website depicts the everyday life of a regular German boy - find information on everything from food to music to German celebrities and download a " Get To Know Germany" coloring book.

Interesting German Facts for Kids

Basic facts and information on Germany, including a map and attraction ideas for kids.

Germany: Time for Kids

Sponsored by TIME for Kids website, basic information on Germany. Also has a page on German words, a quiz, and a day in the life of a German kid.

 German Kid Recipes

 Easy German recipes for kids, such as German potato salad.

5. Books and Keywords

For more books on Germany, here are some recommendations:

• Boast, Clare.Germany ( Next Stop series). Crystal Lake, IL : Heinemann Interactive Library, c1998.

• Gray, Shirley, Germay ( First Report series) Minneapolis, Minn. : Compass Point Books, c2002. 

• Littlefield, Holly. Colors of Germany. Minneapolis : Carolrhoda Books, c1997.

• Zuehlke,  Jeffery. Germany in Pictures. Minneapolis, Minn. : Lerner Publications Co., c2003.

Looking for more? Here are some keywords to try in your library catalog-

Germany-Juvenile literature
Germany-Social life and customs-Juvenile literature
Germany-History-Juvenile literature.

 

 

Nonfiction Review 4-Hiromi's Hands-Lynne Barasch

1.  BIBLIOGRAPHY
Barasch, Lynne. Hiromi's Hands.  Ill. Lynne Barasch.. New York : Lee & Low Books, c2007.
Age Range: 6-9 Lexile: 600

Children's Books of the Year
Bank Street College Children's Book Committee

"Starred Review"
School Library Journal

"Starred Review"
Kirkus Reviews

Celebrate with Books
Cleveland Public Library

Best Kid's Books of the Year
The Miami Herald


2. Summary

Growing up in New York,  Hiromi Suzuki really want to spend time with her dad, a sushi chef who worked long hours in the family's Japanese restaurant. So at age eight, she asked her dad to take to her the market where he bought fresh fish. He eventually trains her to be sushi chef and she becomes one of the first female sushi chefs of New York.

3. My Review

This is a very good book that teaches girls to follow their dreams and that their parents will support them. I love that this is told from Hiromi's voice ( and that the author knew her when she was little, as we learn toward the end of the book.) Through her eyes, we get to learn about Japanese culture and words ( with a pronunciation key and glossary) and one whole page featuring all the different types of sushi. It always make me want to try sushi!

For anyone that has big dreams, they should check out Hiromi's Hands and continue to dream big.

4. Classroom Connections

• Learn about the different festivals and holidays in Japan. Celebrate Girls Day ( March 3) and Children's Day ( or Boy's Day, May 5.) What other holidays does Japan celebrate.
• Ask children to write or draw what they want to be when they grow up. For older grades ( 2nd grade and up), ask them to research their profession. Or plan a What I Want To Be Day and have kids dress up. 
• Invite parents to come in and talk about their job.

• Not a fan of sushi? Here is a recipe for Gluten Free Fruit Sushi  ( plus a picture of what it looks like),

Yummy!!

5. Websites to Check out ( plus a Video)
Make Sushi at Home- Food activity that ties in to book, available on Lee and Low's website

Sushi and Sashimi Glossary- Presented by the Nibble, a complete glossary of what goes in sushi and sashimi.

She Has A Knife and She Knows how to Use it- New York Times artitle on Hiromi Suzuki and her journey to sushi chef. 

Here is a short film on Suziki-Sherachi and Manhattan Rolls (Directed & Edited by Francesca Balaguer-Mercado and 2005 Best Documentary: 5th UP Film and Video Festival)

5. Books to Check Out ( plus keywords)

For more books on chefs ( including some famous female chefs), here are some recommendations:

•  Gourley,  Robbin. Bring Me some Apples and I'll Make You a Pie: A Story about Edna Lewis. New York : Clarion Books, c2009.
• Harland, Jessie. Bon Appetit!: the Delicious Life of Julia Child. New York : Schwartz & Wade Books, c2012. 
• Liebman, Dan.  I Want to Be A Chef. Buffalo, N.Y. : Firefly Books, 2012.
• Reich, Susanna. Minette's Feast: the Delicious Story of Julia Child and her Cat. New York : Abrams Books for Young Readers, 2012. 

For books on Japanese cooking for children, here are some recommendations: 

• Beatty, Theresa . Food and Recipes of Japan. New York : Rosen/PowerKids Press, 1999.
• Ridgwell, Jenny. A Taste of Japan. New York : Thomson Learning, 1993.
• Sheen, Barbara. Foods of Japan.  Detroit : Thomson/Gale, 2006.
• Weston, Reiko. Cooking the Japanese Way. Minneapolis, Minn. : Lerner Publications Co., 2002.

Looking for more ideas? Here are some key words to try on your library catalog:
Cooks-Juvenile literature
Woman cooks-United States-Biography-Juvenile literature
Cookery-Juvenile literature
Cookery, Japanese-Juvenile literature
Food habits-Japan-Juvenile literature