When I read a historically based picture book, I am often amazed at how the author and illustrator can take a moment in history and explore it in just thirty-two short pages. The best of these stories help me feel… Read More ›
primary sources
Picture Books and Primary Sources: Crossing Niagara: The Death-Defying Tightrope Adventure of the Great Blondin by Matt Tavares
Political cartoons used as primary sources can be difficult for students to understand. Cultural references that they may not be aware of can be mixed with political references. These can be confusing without the proper context. I came across one… Read More ›
Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell
As I’m home over the summer, I often see the mail carrier delivering the mail. The daily visits reminded me of the book Mailing May by Michael O. Tunnell. Based on a true story that took place in 1914, May… Read More ›
Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Dorothea Lange: The Photographer Who Found the Faces of the Depression
One aspect of primary sources that I enjoy is the perspective that the creator of the item brings to the source. Some formats of primary sources lend themselves to pointing out perspective. A letter or diary entry can easily reveal… Read More ›
Pairing Picture Books and Primary Sources: Soldier Song: A True Story of the Civil War by Debbie Levy
Like many of you, I love picture books. But there is one type of picture book that holds a special place in my heart: the nonfiction picture book. That’s probably because I’m also a lover of history, and many of… Read More ›
An Extraordinary Experience at the Library of Congress
Meet Tom Bober, an elementary librarian at R.M. Captain Elementary School in Clayton, Missouri, a small city bordering St. Louis. Tom returned to his school library this fall after serving as one of the two Teachers-in-Residence at the Library of… Read More ›