Fantastic PowerPoint presentation on the Orbis Pictus award. Your evaluation of each book is thoughtful and informative. You should add your name on the title page and take credit for doing a great job with this assignment. May I use this an example for future classes? 99/100

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Accuracy Organization Design Style 3

Bardoe, Cheryl. Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas Illustrated by Jos A. Smith New York: Abram Books for Young Readers, * ACCURACY *  This is the author’s first published book, however she is a Senior Project Manager of Exhibitions at the Field Museum in Chicago.  Very few resources are available for purposes of research – the author was limited to an autobiography and poem by subject  A proper bibliography is included, but there are no additional reading recommendations 4

Bardoe, Cheryl. Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas Illustrated by Jos A. Smith New York: Abram Books for Young Readers, * ORGANIZATION *  The sequence is appropriate – the book begins with the subject’s childhood and describes his appetite for knowledge. The book illustrates this child’s journey into becoming a man. After the reader has grasped who Gregor Mendel was, his discoveries are described in great detail.  At the end of the book, the author relates how Gregor Mendel’s discoveries have affected us today. The author provides a thoughtful conclusion emphasizing the amazing effort that went into this man’s discovery that was way ahead of its time. 5

Bardoe, Cheryl. Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas Illustrated by Jos A. Smith New York: Abram Books for Young Readers, * DESIGN *  Many colorful illustrations make the book appealing to young readers  There are several illustrations accompanied by notations to help the reader grasp the concept of what is being described  The font is large and easy to read 6

Bardoe, Cheryl. Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas Illustrated by Jos A. Smith New York: Abram Books for Young Readers, * STYLE *  The content is interesting, but becomes somewhat complex and overwhelming at times for a young reader.  The content is very motivational and encourages young children to pursue their dreams and interests. 7

Montgomery, Sy. Quest For The Tree Kangaroo Photographs by Nic Bishop Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, * ACCURACY *  The author shares her expertise by taking her readers along on her search for tree kangaroos. She begins with her team’s preparation for the trip and continues on to describe the conditions endured throughout this journey. Details of all new discoveries and experiences are shared throughout. With pictures and a detailed script of her journey, the author’s knowledge of the animals becomes very prevalent.  The author is described as “an author, naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and radio commentator who writes award-winning books for children as well as adults. On her various assignments she has been bitten by a vampire bat, undressed by a friendly orangutan, and hunted by a swimming tiger.” 8

Montgomery, Sy. Quest For The Tree Kangaroo Photographs by Nic Bishop Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, * ORGANIZATION *  The sequence is very clear. The book starts with an overview of the team and their experiences and then begins to take you through the expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea.  At the conclusion of the book, a wide array of resources is available to the reader. This includes “Lisa’s (team leader) Advice For Kids”, where to find tree kangaroos near you and a list of websites with more information, translations of Tok Pisis words and phrases, and notes from the author and illustrator summarizing their intense experiences. 9

Montgomery, Sy. Quest For The Tree Kangaroo Photographs by Nic Bishop Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, * DESIGN *  The photographs will captivate any reader.  There are many photographs of tree kangaroos that will make young readers even more interested in learning about them.  There are many photographs capturing the team’s surroundings in New Guinea and the living environment for the tree kangaroos.  There are several additional annotated photographs throughout the book that share and describe other various animals and bugs that inhabit New Guinea – this is sure to keep the interest of the younger reader.  There are many photographs that capture different cultures and traditions. 10

Montgomery, Sy. Quest For The Tree Kangaroo Photographs by Nic Bishop Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, * STYLE *  The content is very interesting and full of information. Because of its extensive details, it is best suited for an older audience such as middle school aged children.  The many resources available at the end of the book make the content easier to understand and to further explore. 11

Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott New York: Holiday House, * ACCURACY *  The author is described as “one of America’s most honored writers of nonfiction books for young readers. His work has garnered numerous awards, including a Newberry Medal, three Newberry Honors, the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award, the Regina Medal, the May Hill Arbuthnot Honor Lecture Award, the Orbis Picture Award, and many ALA Best Books for Young Adults and ALA Notable Children’s Books.”  Kirkus Reviews described this book as “Excellent… The best resource available on the subject for young readers and essential for libraries and classrooms.” 12

Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott New York: Holiday House, * ORGANIZATION *  The book begins with a map of Montgomery, Alabama at the time of the Boycott which provides a great visual aide to young readers.  The author gives a brief overview of why the boycott happened and then begins to take the reader through the chain of events that followed.  The book is divided into chapters which makes it easier for young readers to follow and understand. 13

Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott New York: Holiday House, * DESIGN *  Photographs are appropriate and coincide with the meaning of the content.  Photographs are black and white and are not overused. They nicely compliment the meaning of the content. 14

Freedman, Russell. Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott New York: Holiday House, * STYLE *  The content is written in a way that is informative but easy for young readers to understand. The author avoids using complicated wording and does not overwhelm the reader with too much text to each page. The content is very reader friendly to the young reader.  The comments that accompany photographs provide an easy explanation to the young reader. 15

16  The criteria should include whether the information is indeed appropriate for the designated age group. The book I felt that was most geared towards younger readers was Freedom Walkers.  Freedom Walkers deserved its Honor Award. I feel it could have been an Award Winner.  Quest For The Tree Kangaroo must have been an Award Winner because of the extensive list of resources provided. The content was a bit complex for the young reader, but there were so many additional resources provided that make it hard to dispute the validity of the Award.  Gregor Mendel is interesting, but quite complex for the young reader. I found it hard to follow and/or stay focused on at times myself. It is great in that it promotes the abilities we contain within ourselves. It would have been better suited for younger children had it avoided the use of complicated language and complex descriptions of the gene process.