"The Titanic Lost...and Found" by Judy Donnelly

The Titanic Lost...and Found is a great introduction to this piece of history. The book has the facts but doesn't go into long explanations that could bore beginning researchers. Though depicting a tragedy, the illustrations were absolutely gorgeous and I liked that one showed what the inside of the ship looked like and another showed the size of a ship in relationship to the number of blocks long (abstract measurements like this never quite made sense when I was a kid so this would have cleared some things up for me at the time). My only complaint with this book was that it was a little outdated (published in 1987). Since I was reading an e-copy, I was a little surprised that some more recent information hadn't been added to this copy. But the basic facts of the Titanic were there so I guess that is enough.

Even as an adult, I love these basic accounts of history. When I need to do research, I still start in with books aimed at youth because I know I can get most of the basic information I need to start and then go about tracking down the more obscure information. Besides, books with pictures make researching so much more fun and interesting. Kids wanting to learn about the Titanic will get a lot out of this book and are in luck if they want to learn more since so much has been written about this majestic ship.


Happy Reading!
-Melly

"George Washington and the General's Dog" by Frank Murphy

Why don't they teach these stories in school (or maybe they do, and I was just out sick that day). George Washington and the General's Dog tells the story of George Washing finding General William Howe's dog and even though Howe was the enemy, Washington still returned the dog to the rightful owner. This book says so much about doing what is right and making choices that you can be proud of.

I was so impressed with this story. The writing itself isn't anything exceptional (but as this is a Step Into Reading book, that is totally okay), but there is so much that can be taken away from the plot. Working in a library, I get requests for books that can help spark a conversation about a problem going on with a family, within a household, with friends, etc. and it's up to me to try and find a book that can relate to said problem. This is going to be a book that I recommend a lot when dealing with honesty and doing the right thing. Though Washington very easily could have kept General Howe's dog or just not made any effort to return the dog to it's rightful owner, he made the decision to do the right thing. I can see this book being the perfect conversation starter for kids that are struggling with similar issues. I strongly feel that every kid should own a copy of this book. I get the feeling it will come in handy for many parents.

Happy Reading!
-Melly