Author Archives

Tom Bober is a school librarian at RM Captain Elementary, 2018 Library Journal Mover and Shaker, former Teacher in Residence at the Library of Congress, and author of the upcoming book Elementary Educator's Guide to Primary Sources: Strategies for Teaching. He writes the Picture Books and Primary Sources posts for AASL’s KQ blog and has written articles for several publications. Tom also presents at conferences, runs workshops, and gives webinars to promote the use primary sources in student learning. He began his career as an elementary classroom teacher, was also an educational technologist, and has spent the last nine years as a school librarian.

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Horse Power: How Horses Changed the World by Jennifer Thermes

  By Tom Bober on 07/20/2021 • ( 1 )

  

  One of my favorite units with my first-grade students is the Long Ago and Today unit. Students compare and contrast several aspects of culture and civilization in the U.S. from today and different moments in history. Technology, communication, and transportation… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Farmers Unite! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices by Lindsay H. Metcalf

  By Tom Bober on 05/26/2021 • ( 0 )

  

  Occasionally a historically based picture book slips by me. Farmers Unite! Planting a Protest for Fair Prices was one such books. But then the author, Lindsay Metcalf, spoke at our state conference. When she shared her book, one librarian after… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: The Fighting Infantryman: The Story of Albert D.J. Cashier, Transgender Civil War Soldier by Rob Sanders and Nabi Ali

  By Tom Bober on 04/26/2021 • ( 0 )

  

  Often when students learn about large topics like the Civil War, teachers work to help students see the human side of the event. It can personalize an abstract larger-than-life event, given an entry point to put themselves in someone else’s… Read More ›

• Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Above the Rim: How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball

  By Tom Bober on 03/23/2021 • ( 0 )

  

  There are several broad topics in elementary, middle, and high school that may lead to student research. When those happen, I’m a supporter of students being able to select an aspect of the topic they research. That choice can be… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Wood, Wire, Wings: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane by Kirsten Larson and Tracy Subisak

  By Tom Bober on 02/18/2021 • ( 1 )

  

  Often I suggest we bring historically based picture books into student learning to explore history. So many titles are rich entry points for moments and individuals from the past. Another approach though is to use these narratives to explore the… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: The Teachers March! By Sandra Neil Wallace and Rich Wallace, Illustrated by Charly Palmer

  By Tom Bober on 01/21/2021 • ( 0 )

  

  So many historically based picture books now focus on lesser-known events or individuals. When those books fill in gaps of knowledge and connect to other events that we do know, they can broaden students’ understanding of a moment in time… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Beautiful Shades of Brown: The Art of Laura Wheeler Waring by Nancy Churnin and Felicia Marshall

  By Tom Bober on 12/17/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Earlier this month I co-hosted a webinar on behalf of the National Portrait Gallery (NPG) for librarians. In addition to highlighting the amazing collection that the NPG had to offer, we focused on how students could analyze and learn from… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: An Interview with Don Tate, Author and Illustrator of William Still and His Freedom Stories

  By Tom Bober on 11/20/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  In one of my last trips of the year, I had the opportunity to join Don Tate and others at the Historical Society of Philadelphia last January to learn about Tate’s upcoming book, William Still and His Freedom Stories. We… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Oscar’s American Dream by Barry Wittenstein and Kristen & Kevin Howdeshell

  By Tom Bober on 10/22/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Usually, I write about historically based narrative nonfiction picture books. There was a book that didn’t fit into that category that I saw recently. However, I knew it would fit perfectly into a primary source-focused learning experience with some of… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: The Polio Pioneer: Dr. Jonas Salk and the Polio Vaccine by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Lisa Anchin

  By Tom Bober on 09/16/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Historically based picture books, while often having some type of connection to our own lives, may not always seem timely. That certainly wasn’t the case with Linda Elovitz Marshall’s new book, The Polio Pioneer. The book explores Dr. Salk’s life… Read More ›