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: 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 ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Interview with Mara Rockliff, Author of Jefferson Measures a Moose

  By Tom Bober on 08/20/2020 • ( 1 )

  

  There are some fascinating historically based picture books that focus on a largely unknown moment of a well-known person’s life. The best of those highlights an aspect of that person’s character that helps the reader look at that individual differently… Read More ›

• Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter for Workers’ Rights by Deborah Hopkinson and Kristy Caldwell

  By Tom Bober on 07/16/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Many historically based picture books give insight into the life of an individual. Some also highlight how one person can influence the thinking of a nation. Such is the case with the book Thanks to Frances Perkins: Fighter for Workers’… Read More ›

• Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Let the Children March by Monica Clark-Robinson and Frank Morrison

  By Tom Bober on 06/23/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  I had read Monica Clark-Robinson and Frank Morrison’s picture book, Let the Children March, several times since it was released in 2018. The book, based on the 1963 Birmingham Campaign, is an amazing pairing of powerful words and illustrations. It… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: All the Way to the Top by Annette Bay Pimentel and Nabi H. Ali

  By Tom Bober on 05/21/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  The first time I read All the Way to the Top: How One Girls’ Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything, I felt admiration for Jennifer Keelan-Chaffins, the young girl whose story is told in the book by Annette Bay… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Teaching and Learning from Home

  By Tom Bober on 04/15/2020 • ( 0 )

  My reality for the past weeks has been the reality of many of my school librarian colleagues. Teaching and supporting students and teachers from home have their learning curves.  I was finishing my March Picture Book and Primary Sources post… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island by Jennifer Thermes

  By Tom Bober on 03/27/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Occasionally there is a picture book that I know will work well with a certain format of primary sources before I even open it. That was the case with Jennifer Thermes book Manhattan: Mapping the Story of an Island. There… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: Interview with Chris Barton, Author of All of a Sudden and Forever

  By Tom Bober on 02/21/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Authors of historically based picture books typically focus on one set of primary sources to tell their story, a set of materials connected with one moment in time. In his new book, All of a Sudden and Forever, author Chris… Read More ›

• Picture Books and Primary Sources: A Place to Land by Barry Wittenstein and Jerry Pinkney

  By Tom Bober on 01/23/2020 • ( 0 )

  

  Earlier this school year, I interviewed Barry Wittenstein about his newest book, A Place to Land. In the interview, he shared stories about his use of primary sources in the research for his book and the role that they played… Read More ›