Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman

Annie Oakley: Young Markswoman

by

Ellen Wilson

Summary: This is a wonderful biography of Annie Oakley. It focuses mainly on her childhood but does end up diverging into her adult life. Annie was a young girl of many talents but her best one was hunting. When she was only 7 years old, she built a trap to get dinner for her family. Then another night a wolf was terrorizing her families chickens. She ran inside got her gun and CRACK! The wolf was dead in front of them. Annie was from a very poor family and the children had to live in other houses. Annie was never able to go to school even though she wanted to very much. Instead she was stent to a home where she worked around the clock. Things were so terrible for her that she ended up running away. It was in Cincinnati when she was living with her sister that she entered a shooting contest and became the most famous female shooter in the country. She ended up marrying the most famous male shooter in the country who she met and beat at the same contest. 

Evaluation: 

 This is a must read for children ages 9 years and above!  There are quite a few words on a page but they are interspersed with pictures. The pictures clearly show what Wilson is talking about. Growing up I use to love reading about Annie Oakley. She was such an inspiration and I believe children today will still see her as that. Children, especially girls, will love Annie Oakley because she defied all odds and was a true female American hero. She was unable to go to school like many young girls today but she was so determined to beat her odds and became a legend. Both girls and boys will be able to relate to her because she is from a poor family and was an avid hunter. Today there are many children who hunt, those it isn't necessarily to put food on the table many times that is what happens. Wilson clearly explains everything and the biography reads easily like a narrative keeping the reader engaged and interested in her life. 

The only part of this book that I would consider being a negative aspect would be the illustrations. They are all in black and white ink drawing. They do seem to convey what the author is talking about but are not very captivating. They could use a little more work and then this book would be all and all amazing!

I would still recommend this to anyone age 9 years and older because it is a great book and biography!

Nonfiction Mondays

Knots in My Yo-Yo String

Knots in My Yo-Yo String

by 

Jerry Spinelli

Summary:

This is a autobiography about Jerry Spinelli, a Newberry Medalist and excellent children's author. In his book he takes the reader from his first memories as a child to high school. He has the reader reliving his first kiss, first fight, first trip to the principal's office, first humiliating sports experience, and overall life growing up in the 1950's. Even though he only read comic books and cereal boxes as a child, he shows the reader how the seeds of a great writer were planted.

Evaluation:

 I would highly recommend this book to anyone ages 10 years and up. Though this is his autobiography it engages the reader as much as his fictional books do. He writes in a warm conversational tone, making the reader feel as though he is right beside them telling his life story. The black-and-white pictures are engaging and amusing images from his past that help to capture what he is telling his readers about his life. Being a famous and well published children's author Jerry Spinelli's autobiography is both interesting and relevant for his target audience. The issues and events that he relives in his book are very relatable to children ages 10 and up because they are for the most part a universal part of growing up. His side-splitting recollections of preadolescent and adolescent events are sure to keep the reader engaged. 

Spinelli talks about how his dreams and accomplishments as a child effected and shaped him as an adult and writer. Young readers are sure to relate to this and feel empowered by their dreams and accomplishments. He also gives the reader a sense of hope. Having so many relatable childhood and adolescent experiences lets the young reader feel that even if there are some painful, embarrassing, or not so nice things going on in their life right now that in the end it might all be ok.
A definite must read for all!

Classroom Extension Activities:

Language Arts Classroom

• Have students write a journal about their dreams and aspirations and the obstacles they might have to over come to accomplish them.
•  Compare growing up in the 1950's to today

Math Classroom

• Compare the price of living from the 1950's to today (price of bread, gas, etc.)

History Classroom

• Expand upon topics from the 1950's such as the Cold War, communism, capitalism, Space Race, nuclear weapons, etc.

Nonfiction Monday's