Keep Calm and Read On: Just Kidding

By Wayne Limberg

Kudos to Kirsten Elowsky for inspiring this month's book selections. Kristen and I were on EXCOM in 2015, and at Trailfest in November, she said she would like to see more reviews of children's books.  I took a look at past reviews and realized it had been awhile since I had devoted one to the younger set.  All of these books are kid tested and available online; some can be found at the National Park Service or Shenandoah Trust online stores, which benefit the NPS and Trust.

Heading the list is "Summer of the Tree Army: A Civil Conservation Corps Story" by Gloria Whelan.  Whelan has written a raft of books for young readers and won several prizes, including a National Book Award. She lives in Michigan, where  "Summer of the Tree Army" is set.  "Summer of the Tree Army" is part of a Sleeping Bear Press's Tales of Young Americans series.  It opens in the early 1930s with nine-year old Charlie discovering a cluster of new buildings in the woods near his northern Michigan home. When he asks his father about them, he learns they are part of a recently established CCC camp.  His father clearly has doubts about the value of the CCC, questioning whether the program is a good use of taxpayer dollars. Charlie, while fishing, soon bumps into Luke, one of boys working in the camp, who is clearly new to the woods.  The two become friends, with Charlie spending Sunday afternoons at the camp and Luke having dinner at Charlie's house.  Charlie's father continues to question the value of the CCC but a fire soon changes everything as the CCC boys man the shovels and hoses.

There are few surprises in "Summer of the Tree Army."  Its plot is fairly predictable, but Kirbi Fagan's colorful illustrations are sure to hold younger readers' interest. And, the book invites questions and discussion, which Whelan clearly anticipated as she includes a good short end note explaining the origins and history of the CCC.  The book is recommended for first to fourth graders, which seems about right.

Tweeners may find P. O'Connell Pearson's "Fighting for the Forest: How FDR's Civilian Conservation Corps Helped Save America" a better fit. A work of non-fiction, "Fighting for the Forest”  focuses on Shenandoah National Park, the first CCC project, and uses personal stories to describe the work and impact of FDR's favorite program. Though aimed at readers 10 years of age and older, adult readers have liked it in part because of its use of sidebars to put the CCC in historical context.  "Fighting for the Forest" might have given FDR's Secretary of Labor Francis Perkins' role in the creation of the CCC more space.  She was the first woman cabinet member and her family homestead became a national monument this year. 

"Do Bears Poop in the Woods" by author Huw Lewis Jones and illustrator Sam Caldwell addresses one of life's major questions.  But it's about more than poop. Jones is the former Curator of Art at the Scott Polar Research Institute, University of Cambridge, and an accomplished naturalist, historian and author of over 50 books.  Caldwell is a Texas artist and illustrator based in Houston.  Together, they examine eight species of bear from the Arctic to USA and their evolution, differing habits, habitats, diets and, yes, poop.  Along the way readers get a look at how naturalists work. More importantly, they come to see how endangered bears worldwide are threatened by climate change and humans.  In addition, "Do Bears Poop in the Woods" provides some valuable lessons on how to safely deal with bears in the wild.  Despite it's serious messages, "Do Bears Poop in the Woods" is fun and sure to hold the attention of readers younger and older than the book's 7 to 10 year old target audience.   

It is only a short step from poop to our next book, "Butt or Face" by Kari Lavelle, though some may be reluctant to take it.  This book is actually a guessing game.  Readers are presented inspired photos of animal tops and bottoms and asked to guess which end is which; answers along with short, clear explanations of the pictured animal's habits and habitat are on a subsequent page.   One reviewer, an elementary school teacher, said some of the photos made her clutch her pearls but her students loved them, and she happily soldiered on.  Gross? Crude?  For anyone over 12, probably, but "Butt or Face" is pitched at 5 to 8 year olds.  For the adults in the room, there is plenty of tongue in cheek humor and groan-producing puns.  One caveat: "Butt or Face" was so popular, Lavelle wrote a sequel, "Butt or Face? Volume 2: Revenge of the Butts" which presents another set of cheeky challenges and accompanying explanation of how critters use camouflage and other tricks to survive. 

Have you come across any good reads?  If so, send them along to wplimberg@aol.com. Children and young adult books especially welcome. Meanwhile, stay safe and warm. See you on the trail. 

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