Symphony for the City of the Dead

Book talk: A city of millions cut off from the rest of the world and left to starve. People killing for ration cards, which provide a mere 125 grams of bread made with sawdust mixed in to the flour. Desperate people resorting to cannibalizing the plentiful corpses lining the street. It sounds like the premise for a YA dystopian novel, but it really happened. In 1941 Nazi forces blockaded the city of Leningrad in a siege that would last two and a half years and result in the deaths of over a million people. One of the people trapped in the city was composer Dmitri Shostakovitch. When he escaped the city, he wrote a symphony that would commemorate those lost and give hope to those still trapped. This is his true story.

Rave: This thick, nonfiction tome should have taken me ages to slog through, but instead I tore through it like it was the latest sci-fi thriller. I don't have any particular interest in WWII or classical music and I'd never even heard of Dmitri Shostakovitch, but I love M.T. Anderson so I picked the book up anyway and I'm so glad I did. The story is at turns moving, disturbing, and triumphant. The prose is as beautiful as I expect from this author. It is a prime example of the power of narrative nonfiction.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to those interested in WWII 8th grade and up.

Topics and trends: WWII, composers, biographies, classical music, narrative nonfiction, history

Extras:


Bonus Quotes:

“Gradually, like the emigration of an insidious, phantom population, Leningrad belonged more to the dead than to the living. The dead watched over streets and sat in snow-swamped buses. Whole apartment buildings were tenanted by them, where in broken rooms, dead families sat waiting at tables. Their dominion spread room by room, like lights going out in evening.”

Source: School library

Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson: buy it or check it out today!

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler

Book talk: When Hitler invaded Denmark, the adults reluctantly accepted the occupation, too terrified of the overwhelming Nazi forces to fight back. But teenagers rose up to spark a resistance. Knud Pedersen founded the Churchill club with other students and together they started to sabotage the occupying Nazi forces. When the members were finally caught and it was revealed that the brave resistance fighters were teens, it sparked the Dutch resistance among adults. Read the history of the Churchill Club in their own words in this thrilling nonfiction account.

Rave: This inspiring true story of teenagers organizing themselves in a fight against overwhelming evil belongs on the shelves of every middle and high school library. The Dutch resistance is not particularly well covered in American schools, so it should contain a lot of new information on a high-interest topic. The book is meticulously researched and quotes extensively from interviews the author conducted. A great choice for narrative nonfiction.

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students with an interest in WWII or looking for an engaging narrative nonfiction.

Topics and Trends: WWII, resistance fighters, changemakers, narrative nonfiction, history

Extras:


Source: school library

The Boys Who Challenged Hitler: Knud Pedersen and the Churchilll Club by Phillip Hoose: buy it or check it out today!

A Volcano Beneath the Snow

Book talk: John Brown is a controversial figure: depending on your perspective he could be seen as an inspiration who stopped at nothing to fight for what he thought was right or as one of the earliest domestic terrorists. The truth lies somewhere in the murky area between these two extremes. Read this book to uncover the bloody and complicated history of slavery, the civil war, and John Brown.

Rave: I really enjoyed the nuanced approach Marrin took towards John Brown but my favorite parts were when he pulled back to provide further context. His section on the history of slavery was excellent and contained a lot of information that was new to me and I wish I had earlier. Marrin doesn't pull any punches and he doesn't come down on any one side but allows the reader to explore the complexities of history and see multiple perspectives.

Rant: He hinted a lot about its connections to modern-day terrorism but I wish he had gone into this even further. Perhaps that will be a future book?

Every book its reader: I'd give this to history enthusiasts 7th grade and up or those looking for an excellent narrative nonfiction.

Topics & trends: slavery, history, terrorism, narrative nonfiction, civil war

Source: school library

A Volcano Beneath the Snow: John Brown's War Against Slavery by Albert Marrin: buy it or check it out today!

Family Romanov Review

Book talk: The Romanov family reigned over Russia in a time when unrest was growing and trouble was on the horizon. As the world outside changed, they grew increasingly out of touch as their isolation both protected and endangered them. Then, on one infamous day, the whole family was murdered to end the imperial line. Rumors of the survival of the young Anastasia spread, but the fate of the family was sealed. What led to this event and what was it like to grow up in Russia's last royal family? Find out in The Family Romanov!

Rave: This nonfiction book reads like a novel as the characters are developed and the plot races towards its inevitable tragic end. Fleming did an excellent job taking a really complicated era and making it understandable. This is everything I didn't learn about Russian history in school, but probably should have. Additional excerpts about lives of the peasants at the time helps to provide a wider context and make sense of what happened. An excellent read!

Every book its reader: I'd give this to students looking for a biography or narrative nonfiction 7th grade and up.

Topics and Trends: nonfiction, history, Russia, royalty

Source: public library

The Family Romanov: Murder, Rebellion & the Fall of Imperial Russia by Candace Fleming: buy it or check it out today!

Brown Girl Dreaming Review

Book talk: I'd just read some of the poems aloud.  No description of this book can sell it half as well as a sample from it.  

Rave:  It's hard to write anything about this book that will do it justice.  On the surface it's a memoir about an African American author growing up during the Civil Rights Movement.  But it's not really about any one thing just as a person's life isn't about any one thing.  There are parts about her family, her struggles with learning to read, and how she eventually found her voice as an author. The poems taken together tell a coherent story of her life, but they could just as easily be read separately and stand on their own.  The things Woodson chooses to describe are just as interesting as the way she chooses to describe them.  Above all the language is simply gorgeous.  I'd read about anything and enjoy it if done with this level of beauty and skill.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to fans of poetry and aspiring authors as well as anyone looking for a story that takes place during the Civil Rights Movement.

Topics, Themes, and Trends: Diversity, Poetry, Authors, Writing, Reading difficulties, The Civil Rights Movement

Extras:

You can learn lots of fun facts about Woodson over at her website including "I can only write with my notebook turned sideways. When I was a kid, I wrote with it turned upside down." and
"I know the lyrics to about a thousand bad songs from the 1970s, including songs from tv commercials and television shows."


Bonus Quotes:

“I believe in one day and someday and this perfect moment called Now.”

“Even the silence
has a story to tell you.
Just listen. Listen.”

"The empty swing set reminds us of this--
that bad won't be bad forever,
and what is good can sometimes last
a long, long time.”

"My mother has a gap between
her two front teeth. So does Daddy Gunnar.
Each child in this family has the same space
connecting us."

"On paper, things can live forever.
On paper, a butterfly
never dies."

Source: ebook from the public library

Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson: buy it or check it out today!

Economix review

Book talk:  Wars, riots, revolutions--they can all be explained by economics.  In this entertaining comic Michael Goodwin will take you on a tour of history from the beginnings of capitalism to the modern day and explain the economic causes of every major event from the American Revolution to the Great Depression.  Along the way he pulls out the wittiest lines, goriest details, and most amusing anecdotes.

Rocks my socks:  Economics was never my favorite subject but I absolutely loved this graphic novel!  By describing various economic theories chronologically and placing them in historical context the importance of the topics is clear and the information much easier to remember.  Michael Goodwin also has an excellent sense of humor.  Some of the details seemed too insane to be true (like the part about the Dutch Prime Minister being eaten--but I doubled checked and found that not only is it true but there's a famous painting of it that I immediately regretted finding.)  It seems that economics is stranger than fiction.

Rocks in my socks:  nothing

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to anyone looking for an entertaining nonfiction comic or anyone seeking to understand the economy better.  I'd say it's fine for 7th grade and up.

Extras:

There's a whole website for the book at http://economixcomix.com/

Source: school library

Economix: How Our Economy Works (and Doesn't Work) in Words and Pictures by Michael Goodwin and Dan E. Burr: buy it or check it out today!

Lincoln's Grave Robers Review

Book talk:  In 1875 counterfeiting was a big business.  So big that a new government agency was formed with the responsibility of tracking down counterfeiters: the Secret Service.  The key to counterfeiting is good plates, and for that you need an expert engraver.  The best in the business was Benjamin Boyd.  He was so good that when the Secret Service caught him, his friends were willing to do anything to bust him free.  Even if it meant stealing the corpse of President Abraham Lincoln.

Rocks my socks:  The book read like an old-fashioned heist film at parts as the criminals plotted out their crime and the Secret Service men set their trap.  I enjoyed all the slang and other details that made me feel like I was experiencing life at the time.  Some of the scenes seemed to be straight from a movie, like the story of famed escape expert Pete McCartney breaking out of jail to visit a Secret Service man, make a few glib comments, and then walk right back to prison.  It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would happen in real life, and I'm delighted to know that it did.  I particularly appreciated all the photographs, paintings, and copies of primary source documents included throughout the book.

Rocks in my socks:  I would have liked the book better if it had a different title.  It never lives up to the promise of Lincoln's Grave Robbers.  I suppose The Coney Men Who Attempted to Steal Lincoln's Body doesn't roll off the tongue though.  The Secret Service agent is aware of what's happening the entire time, so I never felt any concern that they'd pull it off. Some of the details added to focus it more on Lincoln dragged the pacing down--the exact layout of the tomb, etc.  I would have liked it better if it was a more general story of the dawn of the Secret Service or the lives of Coney Men.

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to kids 5th grade and up looking for a real-life criminal adventure story and fans of American history.

Extras:

Scholastic has a page for the book with a discussion guide

I love this student-made trailer for the book:

Source: School library

Lincoln's Grave Robbers by Steve Sheinkin: buy it or check it out today!

A Game for Swallows review

Book talk:  Zeina was born into a civil war, and it is still raging on.  Beirut is divided into the Christian East and the Muslim West, and Zeina lives in an apartment overlooking the demarcation line between them.  She is used to the sounds of shelling and the constant blackouts. This day is different though.  Her parents have gone out to visit her grandmother, and they haven't returned.  It's not far, and it should be an easy trip, but even the simplest trip can turn deadly when snipers  who fire at any civilians they see are stationed on the roofs of the buildings.  Her neighbors have gathered around to wait with her for her parents to return, and in the midst of tragedy they chat and laugh and live their lives.

Rocks my socks:  This comic isn't really about the war or the soldiers or the history behind it.  It's about regular people trying to live normal lives in extraordinary circumstances.  So many stories about war involve broad, sweeping narratives and flashy heroic deeds.  This is just about a small group of people spending an evening together.  But the war is inescapable.  It permeates every aspect of their lives in incredible ways.  At one point someone takes out their wedding photos and describes how everyone had to run to the church amid sniper fire.  I can't even begin to imagine what that must be like. Despite all this, they still do what they can to take care of each other and try to make each other laugh.  My favorite character, Ernest, has Cyrano de Bergerac (my favorite play!) memorized and performs bits of it for the children.  The panels for when Cyrano lists off different insults about his nose are beautifully designed and hilariously depict the different metaphors Cyrano employs.  The artwork is gorgeous throughout.  It's simple black and white drawings, but wonderfully creative and expressive.  The background of the panels is mostly pure black and whether it's to convey the blackout or the general atmosphere, it gives the comic a unique style.  It's easy to read about a war and its battles and soldiers and forget about the everyday people and the children who are constantly in fear, committing small acts of bravery all the time just by living.  I'm glad that Abirached shared their story and hers with us.

Rocks in my socks: none

Every book its reader:  I'd give this to fans of Persepolis.  I think that everyone could benefit from reading about what it's like to live in a war zone, and this comic is so wonderfully done that it's an enjoyable and touching read for anyone.  While it doesn't graphically depict much violence, there is a lot mentioned.  I'd save it for 6th grade and up.

Extras:  

Lerner and Scholastic have pages for the book

This video and article about how Beirut is recovering from the civil war is a nice, hopeful counterpart to the book:


Source: school library

A Game for Swallows by Zeina Abirached: buy it or check it out today!

Mini reviews: December 2012 part II

This classic boarding school tale follows Juniper, a scholarship student who starts attending the prestigious Ellsmere academy and quickly runs a afoul of the popular clique.  Jun and her roommate Cassie are likable, quirky, and fun to read about, but overall I felt like I'd read the story before.  From the popular blonde girl who picks on the new kid because she's evil to the overly cheerful best friend, the characters were all well-worn types.  When the story does stray from the normal prep school tale and bring in a fantasy element at the end it comes completely out of left field.  Still, those looking for a quick read about boarding school life will enjoy this tale.  The War at Ellsmere by Faith Erin Hicks: buy it or check it out today!

 This French import will delight readers with its absurdity while making them think about their own place in the universe.  The title characters are two hapless aliens bent on taking over a planet: a feat they have not failed at due to lack of trying.  Each planet they attempt to invade satirizes another aspect of human nature as well as providing plenty of opportunity for the kind of slapstick violence to be found in a Looney Tunes cartoon.  Interspersed with the story of Kaput and Zosky are one page, wordless comics about a human cosmonaut that embodies our less attractive qualities to hilarious effect.  Fans of sci-fi and humour young and old are sure to enjoy this colorful collection. Kaput and Zosky by Lewis Trondheim: buy it or check it out today!


This collection of the popular webcomic XKCD is fun to read even if you've been through the site's archive.  Munroe adds extra jokes and annotations and even if he didn't the comic is so well done that I was thankful for an excuse to re-read some.  If you haven't read the comic yet you can access it online to get a taste of it.  I can't think of any better way to describe it than Munroe already has: a webcomic of romance, sarcasm, math, and language.  Munroe used to work for NASA so when he says it's a comic about math he's serious.  Some of his comics are followed by spikes in google searches on the subject matter from his followers trying to figure out what the heck he's talking about.  But the extra research is always worth it.  Teaching people new things, sparking creativity and curiosity, driving people to research--Randall Munroe is a librarian's dream.  The comic is definitely aimed at an adult audience.  XKCD volume 0 by Randall Munroe: buy it or check it out today!

 As much as I liked the first poem in this collection, it was the second that made me decide to buy a copy for myself.  "The Straightener" describes how he was organized even as a child and would keep a lantern, a spyglass, and a tomahawk on his table and always in that order because "You could never tell when you would need them, / but that was the order you would need them in." Like all great humour there's moments of profundity and stanzas to turn over in your mind and ponder, but the humour provides a gentle reminder to the reader not to take the poem or yourself too seriously, providing a graceful exit from any labyrinths of thought the poems create. Horoscopes for the Dead by Billy Collins: buy it or check it out today!

 This comic is just as entertaining and informative as the first, but this time it's all about the role of ironclad ships in the Civil War.  What I love most about these comics is how deliciously irreverent they are--especially considering that they tell stories that are typically discussed with jingoistic rhetoric. Portraying Gustavus Fox as an anthropomorphic fox and Stephen Mallory as 'sharkface' was darn entertaining in addition to helping me to keep everyone straight.  Hale has a knack for finding historical figures that played a minor role but have engrossing stories that hardly seem believable and this time it's William Cushing. Just trust me and read the comic-you'll love him too!  (3rd grade and up) Big Bad Ironclad by Nathan Hale: buy it or check it out today!

Mini Reviews: Comics

I can see why this comic is so popular.  Naruto has a lot of action and humor and a rich setting.  Watching Naruto's antics, the fight scenes, and immersing yourself in the mythology and ways of the world it's set it is a lot of fun.  Plus, it's about ninjas. The story has a lot of heart as well though.  Naruto has the spirit of a demon that tormented the town trapped inside him and as a result the villagers have never really accepted him.  He acts out to get them to notice him and has big goals to prove them wrong--that he does have what it takes to lead the town and be a force of good.  As he learns the ways of ninjitsu he also learns about teamwork and discipline.  He refuses to sink to the level of his bullies and defends the town even when it's tempting to do otherwise.  There's a lot of good lessons for the real world to be learned in this manga.  Due to the ample and bloody fight scenes and Naruto's famous Ninja centerfold move I'd save this for teenage manga fans.  Naruto: Volume 1 &2 by Masashi Kishimoto: Buy it or check it out today!

This manga is about a girl who can see fairies who ends up on a quest to find a lost artifact in the service of a handsome man with a mysterious and dangerous past.  She has to solve riddles and uncover clues while unraveling layers of deception and deciding who to trust.  Did I mention she has a talking cat who isn't really a cat but a fairy?  What more could I ask for?  Gorgeous costumes stemming from a setting in 19th Century England?  Wait, it has that too.  It's certainly not the most thought-provoking thing I've ever read but darn is it diverting!  I'm looking forward to breezing through the rest of the volumes in this series.  The Earl & the Fairy Story and art by Auyko, Original Concept by Mizue Tani: Buy it or check it out today!

This nearly wordless, surreal gem is exquisitely strange and absolutely delightful.  It stars a little girl who literally eats herself out of house and home as she consumes everything in sight and is sent to the market.  There she finds an egg that hatches into a shapeshifter and leads her on a series of strange journeys including one seemingly meta-fictional one where she calls a time-out and asks that Forsythe alter his drawing.  Being nearly wordless it would be great to give to a child and ask them to describe what's happening in the story.  Adult fans of the surreal are sure to enjoy it as well.  Jinchalo by Matthew Forsythe: Buy it or check it out today!

I enjoyed this manga about two middle school kids who team up to make manga together.  It has a nice quiet plot, but it takes time to develop the characters so that I really wanted them to succeed in their plans.  I think their struggle of whether they should do what is expected of them or follow their dreams is one that many middle school students will be able to relate to.  It was interesting to get a glimpse into the world of how manga gets made as well.  I have mixed feelings on the romantic subplot though.  On the one hand I like that the main character is a romantic and wants to exchange e-mails with the girl he has a crush on instead of seeing her in person.  On the other hand I am not okay with the way gender roles are portrayed.  One of the male main characters describes the female lead by saying "Azuki naturally knows that a girl should be graceful and polite...and because she is a girl, she should be earnest about things and get average grades.  She knows by instinct that a girl won't look cute if she's overly smart."  While they are serious about their goal of making manga "'the reason she's thinking about becoming a voice actress is she naturally chose a dream that many girls have nowadays, and she's just trying to fully enjoy her life as a girl.  She doesn't feel any pressure like we do about our future and whatnot.'  'Because she's a girl?' 'That's right.  She knows what it means to be a girl she knows by instinct that the best thing for a girl is to get married and become somebody's wife...and until then--no, even after she's married, she'll remain graceful and polite.'"  Excuse me!  I'm really hoping that this is just an example of how the characters are clueless about girls and that in later issues they learn how wrong they are because I enjoyed this comic otherwise.  If they don't join the rest of us in the 21st century though I'd be hesitant to recommend it.  Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata: Buy it or check it out today!

I absolutely loved this irreverent, Scheherazade-esque take on American history.  Nathan Hale is about to be hanged when he utters his famous last words and the Big Huge Book of American History swallows him up.  This infuses him with knowledge beyond his life and allows him to stay the hand of the executioner as he regales him with historical tales.  This first volume is all about Nathan Hale and the Revolutionary War and despite wars being my least favorite part of history to study I was just as rapt as the executioner, and learned a lot that I had either never learned or forgotten due to lack of interest.   I particularly enjoyed reading about Henry Knox, the kick-butt bookseller.  The book definitely has an American bias, but it doesn't view American history as sacred.  When Nathan Hale encounters the ghost of Crispus Attucks and they tell the hangman that they're in the brotherhood of American Martyrs the hangman asks "What's a martyr?" their response: "Nothing. What's a martyr with you?"  It takes a special kind of person to make puns about martyrs, and that is a kind of person whose work I want to follow.  Even the notes at the end of the book were entertaining: Nathan (the author) introduces us to the people who helped make the book and the team of adorable babies that he put in charge of research.  He has a panel with all of his references arranged in two stacks with the title, author, and pub year showing on the spines.  Perhaps not MLA formatting, but very attractive.  Nothing about it is conventional but it is actually something that kids will read as opposed to most backmatter which I'm sure is entirely passed over even by adults.    Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales: One Dead Spy by Nathan Hale: Buy it or check it out today!

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan Review

Book talk: Today Superman is best known for battling Lex Luthor, General Zod, and other super villains.  But before Superman came to stand for "Truth, Justice, and the American Way" he was known as the "Champion of the Oppressed"and he regularly battled dictators, terrorists, and spies.   In the summer of 1946 the Man of Steel even took on the Ku Klux Klan.  Attacking the infamous organization was a dangerous affair for the creators of the show, and it that required careful planning.  Intelligence was gathered from actual spies who had infiltrated the organization so that the details would be accurate.  This is the true story of two outcast kids who grew up to create an iconic American hero, an activist and spy who wasn't afraid to fight for what he believed in, an infamous organization that used hate-filled rhetoric to feed its greed, and an alien separated from his own people who uses his powers to defend the powerless.

Rocks my socks:  This book was a quick and easy read yet  it contained a trove of interesting information and skillfully balanced multiple threads.  In the spirit of full disclosure I've always been a Batman girl myself, but I was pleasantly surprised to learn about Superman's early role as champion of the oppressed before he turned into the purveyor of the American Way that I'm accustomed to thinking of him as.  I enjoyed reading about the real-life people associated with the character as well, including his creators.  I found the part detailing how the influence of their Jewish faith can be seen in Superman particularly fascinating.  Another narrative thread followed Stetson Kennedy who was friends with Woody Guthrie and infiltrated the KKK.  As an educator I found the section detailing how the radio program revolutionized educational programming compelling.  Bowers doesn't shy away from talking about the history of the KKK either and he makes a good point about how avoiding the subject can add mystery to it and make it more attractive.  By detailing how the organization used this incredibly harmful rhetoric to fill their coffers he helps readers recognize how other organizations use these same techniques and teaches them to be skeptical of anyone promoting hate for profit.

Rocks in my socks: There were so many interesting threads and I wished there was more time spent on each of them.  Still, I suppose I shouldn't complain that a book left me wanting to read more.

Every book its reader: This has a little something for everyone and is so informative and quick to read that there's little excuse not to read it.  Naturally it has some appeal for superhero comic fans, but a love or even knowledge of superhero comics isn't necessary to enjoy the book.  I've never read a superman comic and I loved it.  Stetson Kennedy was a folklorist as well as a spy and his connections to Woody Guthrie should be enough to sell those with an interest in folklore and grassroots activism.  The creators represent a classic outsider storyline that is easy for most people to relate to, and anyone interested in American history would certainly enjoy this well-researched book.  It does deal with some intense issues and doesn't pull any punches so I wouldn't give it to young children, but it is something that I think is important for students to learn about.  It depends on the maturity of the child naturally but I wouldn't hesitate giving it to middle schoolers.

Extras:

You can listen to the radio series at the heart of this book on YouTube.

You can also listen to the song Woody Guthrie wrote about Stetson Kennedy.

You can easily find interviews with the author online.

Source: School Library

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan by Rick Bowers

Buy it or check it out today!

Best Shot in the West Review

Book talk: It started by breaking colts: ten cents a horse. Then one day Nat got lucky in a raffle  and he used his winnings to head out west.  Before long he found a cattle team and when they tested him on their wildest horse he showed them what he could do.  He joined on and they fixed him up with new clothes, a gun, and a new name. Nat Love became Deadwood Dick as he adopted the cowboy lifestyle.  His new life full of adventures and the storms, stampedes, and raids made him feel more alive than he ever had before--but if he wasn't careful they would also be the things that killed him.

Rocks my socks: I absolutely loved the artwork in this comic--the bold colors captured the various highs and lows of the story well and the sketchy style matched the dirty, fast-paced lifestyle described.  The story itself is fascinating--all the more so because it is based on real events.  Nat was born as a slave, then became a famously skilled cowboy, and finally ended up as a Pullman Porter (their story is fascinating as well--the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters would later be one of the first African American unions) I was absolutely crazy for the narrative voice of Nat Love.  The framing of the story is that Nat is looking back on his life as an old man and writing down his reminiscences that would later be turned into an autobigoraphy (the story of why he does this is made up but the autobiography is real: The Life and Adventures of Nat Love Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick") But for all the truly commendable aspects of the story, if I'm being honest I have to admit that mostly I enjoyed it because it was a good cowboy tale full of excitement and adventure.

Rocks my socks: None come to mind, except perhaps that I wish it was longer.

Every book its reader: Fans of old west adventures, history, and comics will all find plenty to keep them happy in these pages.  There is a fair amount of violence, as you'd expect in this type of story, but it is based on real life and not needless or gratuitous.  There are a couple oblique references to other activities cowboys got up to, for example his first impression of Dodge City: "I didn't know if I was in heaven or Sodom." But overall it's pretty tame for a cowboy adventure and Nat mostly acts honorably.  Some of the vocabulary would be hard for younger students but the pictures help get the point across.  I'd say 4th grade and up.

Best Shot in the West by Patricia C. McKissack, Frederick L. McKissack, and Randy Duburke

Buy it or check it out today!