Book picks similar to
Mysterious Thelonious by Chris Raschka
picture-books
music
biography
african-american
Wonder Walkers
Micha Archer - 2021
They have thought-provoking questions for everything they see: Is the sun the world's light bulb? Is dirt the world's skin? Are rivers the earth's veins? Is the wind the world breathing? I wonder . . .
The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game
Nancy Churnin - 2016
After losing out on a spot on the local deaf team, William practiced even harder—eventually earning a position on a professional team. But his struggle was far from over. In addition to the prejudice Hoy faced, he could not hear the umpires' calls. One day he asked the umpire to use hand signals: strike, ball, out. That day he not only got on base but also changed the way the game was played forever. William “Dummy" Hoy became one of the greatest and most beloved players of his time! The William Hoy Story is also on several book lists:2016 New York Public Library Best Books for Kids2017 Texas 2x2 Reading List2017 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List2017 Best Children's Books of the Year, Bank Street College2018 Illinois Monarch Award Master List
The Book Rescuer: How a Mensch from Massachusetts Saved Yiddish Literature for Generations to Come
Sue Macy - 2019
He did all of this in pursuit of a particular kind of treasure, and he’s found plenty. Lansky’s treasure was any book written Yiddish, the language of generations of European Jews. When he started looking for Yiddish books, experts estimated there might be about 70,000 still in existence. Since then, the MacArthur Genius Grant recipient has collected close to 1.5 million books, and he’s finding more every day.
Brothers at Bat: The True Story of an Amazing All-Brother Baseball Team
Audrey Vernick - 2012
It was the1930s, and many families had lots of kids. But only one had enough to field a baseballteam . . . with three on the bench! The Acerras were the longest-playing all-brotherteam in baseball history. They loved the game, but more important, they cared forand supported each other and stayed together as a team. Nothing life threw their waycould stop them.Full of action, drama, and excitement, this never-before-told true story is vividlybrought to life by Audrey Vernick’s expert storytelling and Steven Salerno’s stunningvintage-style art.
Elvis: The Story of the Rock and Roll King
Bonnie Christensen - 2015
While in high school, he continued his music but was often ridiculed by students. On a whim, he recorded a song for his mom's birthday at Sun Record Studios as part of a customer promotion. The studio loved it so much that they sent it to local record stations . . . and the rest is history.Here is the story of how a poor kid from Tupelo, Mississippi, became an American legend.A Christy Ottaviano Book
Ballet for Martha: Making Appalachian Spring
Jan Greenberg - 2010
The authors' collaborator is two-time Sibert Honor winner Brian Floca, whose vivid watercolors bring both the process and the performance to life.
Gus & Me: The Story of My Granddad and My First Guitar
Keith Richards - 2014
Gus & Me offers a rare and intimate look into the childhood of the legendary Keith Richards through this poignant and inspiring story that is lovingly illustrated with Theodora Richards's exquisite pen-and-ink collages. This unique autobiographical picture book honors the special bond between a grandfather and grandson and celebrates the artistic talents of the Richards family through the generations. It will also include selected photographs from the Richards family collection and an exclusive audio CD featuring bonus content.
Sleep Like a Tiger
Mary Logue - 2012
In dialogue between a not-at-all sleepy child and understanding parents, the little girl decides “in a cocoon of sheets, a nest of blankets,” she is ready to sleep, warm and strong, just like a tiger.
Zen Shorts
Jon J. Muth - 2005
"There's a really big bear in the backyard." This is how three children meet Stillwater, a giant panda who moves into the neighborhood and tells amazing tales. To Addy he tells a story about the value of material goods. To Michael he pushes the boundaries of good and bad. And to Karl he demonstrates what it means to hold on to frustration. With graceful art and simple stories that are filled with love and enlightenment, Jon Muth -- and Stillwater the bear -- present three ancient Zen tales that are sure to strike a chord in everyone they touch.
Milo Imagines the World
Matt de la Pena - 2021
To pass the time, he studies the faces around him and makes pictures of their lives. There's the whiskered man with the crossword puzzle; Milo imagines him playing solitaire in a cluttered apartment full of pets. There's the wedding-dressed woman with a little dog peeking out of her handbag; Milo imagines her in a grand cathedral ceremony. And then there's the boy in the suit with the bright white sneakers; Milo imagines him arriving home to a castle with a drawbridge and a butler. But when the boy in the suit gets off on the same stop as Milo--walking the same path, going to the exact same place--Milo realizes that you can't really know anyone just by looking at them.
Freedom Over Me: Eleven Slaves, Their Lives and Dreams Brought to Life by Ashley Bryan
Ashley Bryan - 2016
Less than an ox. Less than a dress. Maybe about the same as…a lantern. This gentle yet deeply powerful way goes to the heart of how a slave is given a monetary value by the slave owner, tempering this with the one thing that can’t be bought or sold: dreams. Inspired by the actual will of a plantation owner that lists the worth of each and every one of his “workers,” the author has created collages around that document, and others like it. Through fierce paintings and expansive poetry, he imagines and interprets each person’s life on the plantation, as well as the life their owner knew nothing about—their dreams and pride in knowing that they were worth far more than an overseer or madam ever would guess. Visually epic, and never before done, this stunning picture book is unlike anything you’ve seen.
Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood
F. Isabel Campoy - 2016
Pick up a paintbrush and join the celebration!
On a Beam of Light: A Story of Albert Einstein
Jennifer Berne - 2013
But in his mind, he envisions himself traveling at a speed beyond imagining, on a beam of light. This brilliant mind will one day offer up some of the most revolutionary ideas ever conceived. From a boy endlessly fascinated by the wonders around him, Albert Einstein ultimately grows into a man of genius recognized the world over for profoundly illuminating our understanding of the universe. Jennifer Berne and Vladimir Radunsky invite the reader to travel along with Einstein on a journey full of curiosity, laughter, and scientific discovery. Parents and children alike will appreciate this moving story of the powerful difference imagination can make in any life.
Abe Lincoln's Dream
Lane Smith - 2012
When a schoolgirl gets spearated from her tour of the White House and finds herself in the Lincoln bedroom, she also discovers the ghost of the great man himself. Together they embark on a journey across sthe country to answer Lincoln's questions and quiet his concerns abou the nation for which he gave his life. This wholly original tale is signature Lane Smith; Abe Lincoln's Dream is funny, touching, and surprising in a way only possible from this master picture book creator.
The Boy Who Loved Math: The Improbable Life of Paul Erdos
Deborah Heiligman - 2013
And, it's true, many of them do. But Paul Erdos never followed the usual path. At the age of four, he could ask you when you were born and then calculate the number of seconds you had been alive in his head. But he didn't learn to butter his own bread until he turned twenty. Instead, he traveled around the world, from one mathematician to the next, collaborating on an astonishing number of publications. With a simple, lyrical text and richly layered illustrations, this is a beautiful introduction to the world of math and a fascinating look at the unique character traits that made "Uncle Paul" a great man.