CALIFORNIA OUT OF THE BOX: Making History Fun for Kids

I recently had the chance to review the new books for CALIFORNIA OUT OF THE BOX: An Interdisciplinary History Curriculum by educator Christine Echeverri. As I say in the review, it makes me want to be a fourth grader again. Based on literature, both fiction and nonfiction, along with a collection of primary source materials, it makes history come alive. One of the required books in the curriculum is my book TRAPPED IN TAR: Fossils from the Ice Age about the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles and the treasure trove of fossils found there. It is one of my favorite places to take visitors to Los Angeles.

Here is my review of the California Out of the Box curriculum:

California Out of the Box: An Interdisciplinary History Curriculum by Christine Echeverri makes me wish I were in elementary school again. I would have loved the literature-based content and the associated hands-on writing, art, and science projects. This interdisciplinary approach to California history is built around a core selection of historical fiction books, field guides, additional nonfiction resources, and a companion book called California Collage: A California Out of the Box Reader. The curriculum is engaging, approachable, and easy for students and teachers to use, either for home-schooling or in a classroom environment. California Out of the Box is designed for students in grades 3 to 6 with 36 weeks of lessons paced for four days a week. It is adaptable to the needs and learning styles of the students, with choices of ways to respond to the material. There are two versions of the book: The Student Book and the Teacher’s Book. The student book includes assignments as well as worksheets and space to write comprehension answers. The teacher’s book includes answer keys and notes for teaching the curriculum. Both books have QR codes with links for each unit, making it easy for students and teachers to follow the curriculum and locate videos and other material on the web. The California Collage reader is a gold mine of supplementary material—stories, poetry, natural history, people, places and notable events, first person accounts such as the writings of naturalist John Muir, as well as material from the National Park Service, newspaper accounts, letters, memoirs, images, maps, photos and more. The three books together—California Out of the Box teacher and student editions, and California Collage—make up a complete curriculum for studying California history from pre-history to the 1930s and is aligned with California State Standards for 4^th grade. Using this curriculum students will develop a deeper appreciation of the richness and variety of the state of California--its people, natural history, geography, cultural traditions, notable events. The California Out of the Box curriculum makes history come alive.

The books are available at Amazon and at the Carrier Shell Book Store on the web.

BOOKLIFE PRIZE (Publishers Weekly) Review of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL

I was pleased to receive the following positive review from BookLife Prize (Publishers Weekly) of my memoir,  SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 

Plot/Idea: Arnold's focused memoir depicts the lesser-known institution of settlement houses from the unique perspective of a director’s child. The book provides a snapshot of a place in a particular time period while also constructing the cultural memory of a small community organization in mid-century America.

Prose: Settlement House Girl is broken into bite-sized sections, subverting the typical narrative structure of similar books. That strategy works well to give the text an informative vibe, and the memoir's first-person perspective deftly establishes its context while painting the subject matter in an appealing light.

Originality: Arnold recounts her largely unique life experience living in a settlement house in 1950s Minnesota, with her social worker parents. The narrative presents a wealth of historical information as well as an insider's view of an uncommon subject matter. 

Character/Execution: Though the book's somewhat choppy structure and first-person present tense can detract from the flow, the topic is interesting and enjoyable. Arnold delivers an intimate glimpse into a microculture that curious readers will find fascinating.

The BookLife Prize winners were announced December 15, 2024.

SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL in the Grinnell Magazine

I am pleased to have my book SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota, included in the Authors and Artists section (p. 28) of the Summer 2024 issue of the Grinnell Magazine. I was in the Grinnell College Class of 1966. I am glad to have the news of my book shared with other alums. 

Arnold's book "chronicles my childhood as I interacted and shared meals with other settlement house residents, participated in clubs, sports and community activities, and observed the roles of the staff and my social worker parents. Few other families lived at a settlement house as ours did. The book ends with my graduation from Grinnell." Settlement House Girl captures a time when settlement houses were in transition from their root in immigrant communities at the turn of the 20th century to becoming today's modern social service agencies.

Review of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL in Publishers Weekly July 8 Issue, p. 188

If you subscribe to Publishers Weekly, look in the July 8th issue for an excellent review of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House. It is in the back of the magazine in BookLife, in the memoir section, at the top of page 188. While the review has been available online since the beginning of June, this is the first time it has appeared in print. I'm hoping that this will help spread the word to an even wider audience.

See my post of June 7, for the full review. Here is my favorite paragraph:

"Settlement House Girl is engaging, tracing Arnold’s growth from a young girl to an adult journeying into being a writer in her later life, but it’s also a valuable contribution to the social history of 20th-century America, offering urban history enthusiasts a wealth of information about the daily lives of families living in mid-century cities. The detailed accounts of Arnold's experiences provide a unique glimpse into the fabric of community life during this era, highlighting the interactions and shared experiences that defined the settlement house environment."

Cover of July 8, 2024 Publishers Weekly

The July 8th issue is the Fall 2024 Children's Preview issue of PW, focusing on the new books for children. It is the perfect issue for the review of my memoir, which, although written for adults, shows how children's books and my love of reading provided the background for my future career as a children's book author.

SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL Now Available as A KINDLE E-BOOK-- Update!

I am happy to report that my memoir SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota is now available on Amazon as a print replica Kindle e-book. Because it is published as a print replica the pages appear exactly as they do in the print version. It can be downloaded to your tablet or computer. (Unfortunately, it cannot be read on a Kindle e-reader.) The price for the e-book is $6.99.

Update, November 14, 2024:  SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL is now also available as a Kindle e-book with reflowable text and can be downloaded to your Kindle or phone. YAY!

Meanwhile, SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL continues to get excellent reviews. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, now is the time to order either the paperback version, the print replica e-book version or the Kindle e-book with reflowable text. After you have read the book, I’d love to hear from you and find out what you think. And you can post your review on Amazon or Goodreads. Thank you!

BOOK REVIEW of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL in BlueInk Review

With thanks to BlueInk Review for the very nice review of my memoir SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL. (Reviewed in March 2024). 

From 1948 to 1966, Caroline Scheaffer Arnold's father served as director of the North East Neighborhood House (NENH), a settlement house offering a social center for students and the surrounding community. Here, Arnold recalls those years, encompassing the students, employees, and her friends, while also exploring NENH’s impact on her adult life. 

Arnold’s family lived in an apartment on the top floor of the NENH bordered by a long hallway. Across the hall was a kitchen, a community dining room where all residents and staff ate family style, and a resident living room. The lower floors housed dormitories for staff and other occupants (typically students from the nearby university), an auditorium, gym, and offices. NENH also served as a community hotspot hosting sports, clubs, and social resources. 

Pulled from her remarkable memory but supplemented by research, the book captures the unique settlement house lifestyle. Arnold recounts, with a dramatized but endearing voice, moments of heartwarming tenderness: a wedding where everyone chipped in, collecting popsicle wrappers to earn gifts for loved ones; her father's attempt to invest in stamps, only to wind up gifting her pages of below-value stamps and a note "hope your envelopes are large enough," and summers spent at NENH's project Camp Bovey. 

The book is episodic with each section acting almost like a short story, anchored by a clear emotional core. One of the more touching recollections is when Arnold returns home as an adult after her father's passing to discover letters and memos showcasing the joy he had running NENH and founding Camp Bovey, which became a beloved institution. The book captures life in colorful anecdotes, and Arnold draws the intriguing settlement house residents with a loving hand. 

Part memoir and part time capsule, the author's recollections are supplemented by photographs, letters, journal entries, and newspaper clippings. Endnotes provide even more personal insight, all resulting in an enjoyable encapsulation of one family's experiences as the settlement facility transitioned into modernity. 

Highly recommended for fans of Jennifer Worth's Call the Midwife trilogy.

Settlement House Girl: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota

By Caroline Scheaffer Arnold

Caroline Arnold, 208 pages, (paperback) $14.99, 9798864903285

BOOK REVIEW of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL in the Northeaster, Minneapolis, MN

I thank Cynthia Sowden, editor at the Northeaster newspaper in Minneapolis, Minnesota, for her nice review of SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL: Growing Up in the 1950s at North East Neighborhood House, Minneapolis, Minnesota and for publicizing my book signing April 18th at East Side Neighborhood Services. 

After highlighting major elements of the book, she writes: “Settlement House Girl” is an easy read. Arnold has authored books for children, and she writes in a clear, straightforward manner. If you’re a collector of Northeast history books, it’s a good one to put on your bookshelf.

You can read the whole article HERE.

A ZEBRA'S WORLD Reviewed at the Epic Book Society

I was pleased to discover a review of my book A Zebra's World included at the blog at the Epic Book Society featuring 25 Exciting Books About Zebras for Kids.

From the Epic Book Society blog:

Children love Zebras because of their uniqueness. There is no other animal in the world that has the same pattern as the stripey zebra.

This makes them the perfect animal hero in a children’s book because they teach children to celebrate differences and that being unique can be beautiful.

If your child loves zebras or you’re looking for books about zebras to teach your kids about diversity, then you’ve come to the right place. These are the best zebra books for children of all ages, from chapter books to board books for toddlers.

So when you’re ready, go take a look!

Review of A Zebra's World on the Epic Book Society blog:

A Zebras World follows a young zebra as it takes its first steps in this new world. The story follows the zebra as it grows up in Africa, in both an interesting and stimulating way.

Keeping the zebra theme of black and white, the story is accompanied by black and white illustrations, which help tell the tales of these amazing animals.

This zebra picture book is an exciting view into the first year of a zebra’s life and teaches children about their natural home and some other animals they share their home with.

A ZEBRA'S WORLD is available on Amazon as Kindle book.

Learn more about the book at my website.

5 STAR RATING on GOODREADS for SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL!

I was pleased to discover that SETTLEMENT HOUSE GIRL, my memoir about growing up in a settlement house in the 1950s, has a 5 star rating on Goodreads. The book is available on Amazon, or you can order it at your favorite bookstore. ISBN 9798864903285

Be the first to write a review on Goodreads! And Amazon!

Thanks!

REVIEW of MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE in Fall 2023 Issue of The Grinnell Magazine

I am pleased to have MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE included in the Authors and Artists section of the fall issue of the Grinnell Magazine.

Caroline Scheaffer Arnold ’66, DHL ’01, Amazon, July 2023

A graphic picture book for young readers illustrated with colorful, anime-style art, My Friend From Outer Space follows Sherry as she tries to convince her best friend that she comes from outer space. Arnold, who majored in art and literature at Grinnell, is the author of more than 170 books for children. Her work has received awards from the American Library Association, and the National Science Teachers Association, among others, and she was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by the College in 2001.

Issue: 

Fall 2023

GOODREADS: Be the First to Review MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE!

You can find both the Kindle version and the paperback version of MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE on Goodreads. I'd love it if you'd write a review! (You can also write a review on Amazon.)

REVIEW OF MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE "Great book for young readers!"

With many thanks to Susan Meyers for her enthusiastic review of MY FRIEND FROM OUTER SPACE on Amazon!

5 Stars  Great Book for Young Readers!

This is such a fun book! It perfectly captures that willing suspension of disbelief that kids are so good at, even if they start out as skeptics. Sherry, the heroine who declares she comes from outer space, confidently deals with all her friend’s doubts and convinces him to join her in her rocket ship, which looks surprisingly like a large cardboard box stored in her garage. They blast off for a harrowing trip through outer space to Sherry’s planet and back again. Her friend, a bit shaken by the experience, declares himself a believer. Is he? Maybe. But I have the feeling he’s not going to try it again. The illustrations are perfect for the story. Bright and colorful, partially laid out in comic book style, they keep the story moving in an exciting way. Never a dull moment in this book for young readers. 

Review of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 in Bayviews

This very nice review of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad was published on the Bayviews blog of the Association of Children's Librarians of Northern Californis (ACL) last summer.

As school gardens increase in popularity, so too should the number of books about the topic. Arnold’s well-documented kindergarten classroom garden features lots of action-packed photographs and smooth, flowing narration about how a garden works. The engaging photos demonstrate how to prepare the soil, add worms, choose a variety of plants, and how the various plants grow, while the narration provides additional details and explanations. Useful for any school (or home) with gardens, or anyone curious to see what taking care of a garden involves.

Joshua Rees, Daly City PL

BIRDS: NATURE'S MAGNIFICENT FLYING MACHINES: Twenty Years in Print and Still Flying

Happy Book Birthday to my book BIRDS: NATURE'S MAGNIFICENT FLYING MACHINES (Charlesbridge, 2003)--20 years old and counting. Illustrated with colorful and detailed paintings by Patricia Wynne, this book has been a winner, both with children and adults. I am happy to know that it is still available as a real paper book. Here's to another 20 years!

Kirkus Reviews, June 15, 2003

A terrific example of the best sort of science book for young readers, this focuses on one aspect of birds, their ability to fly, and examines it from all angles. We see how a bird's flight is related to its anatomy--long wings are good for soaring, for example, while short, rounded wings are good for fast turns--and how that anatomy is also related to the bird's habitat and lifestyle. Ruffed grouses don't need to soar; albatrosses do. This form-follows function argument allows readers to extrapolate beyond the book, and more fully understand birds they might see on their own. The detailed, vibrant illustrations enhance and enliven the text; they and the lovely clear layout make this book a delight for the eye. A winner.

Review of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 in Children's Literature, A CLCD Company

I am pleased to get this excellent review of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad from Children's Literature, a CLCD company. CLCD (Children's Literature Comprehensive Database) is a database of full-text reviews, national and international awards, curriculum tools and related materials to assist with Reader's Advisory.

Review: Prolific author Arnold has crafted another winning book that explores how real-life teacher Mrs. Best and her students explore hands-on science. The book opens with the children in her class curiously observing the seeds and young plants their teacher has brought to school, choosing ones to grow and harvest before the end of the school year. Photo illustrations throughout the book depict a diverse class of students participating in every phase of this project. They prepare the soil, plant and transplant seedlings, tend the garden, harvest the vegetables, and prepare the vegetables that will be used in the final product—a salad. Along the way, they also learn about composting and find out which insects are helpful to have in your garden. Factoids denoted with a watering can icon are sprinkled throughout the book to highlight additional gardening facts. A multitude of supplemental features are included for further reference, including a glossary, a bibliography of print and online resources for further investigation, and frequently asked questions about gardening and plants. This text and these supplementary resources make this book an excellent library addition to support a school curriculum, as well as providing more information and inspiration to young aspiring gardeners. Hopefully, after being introduced to this title, young readers will be encouraged to eat more vegetables and grow their own garden, with adult supervision.

Ages: 3 - 7

Reviewer Rating: 5

NETGALLEY REVIEWS of PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6

I recently discovered a whole list of great reviews for my book PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 on NetGalley. NetGalley is a site that provides galleys of books to review in advance of publication. (Once the book is published the galleys are no longer available.) Every reviewer gave the book five stars! Thank you!

Here's an example of one of the reviews.

Reviewed in the United States on March 15, 2022
What an excellent introduction to gardening for young children! The book follows a kindergarten class as they plant a vegetable garden. Each step is recorded in vivid, detailed photographs that bring the subject to life. Kids will not only be fascinated by everything they learn about plants and natural science as they follow along, but they also will be engaged by following students just like themselves through the process.

The language is clear and simple and basic concepts of plant growth are explained in accessible manner. There is a simple Q&A section about gardening at the end, along with a glossary of terms. This would be an excellent introduction to a classroom unit on plants and gardening or to inspire kids to try a gardening project at home.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review! 

Jacket back of Planting a Garden in Room 6

 

REVIEW OF PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6 at THE NONFICTION DETECTIVES

I was delighted to discover PLANTING A GARDEN IN ROOM 6: From Seeds to Salad reviewed on THE NONFICTION DETECTIVES, the excellent blog by librarians Cathy Potter and Louise Capizzo. It posted on April 22, 2022, Earth Day! Thank you for helping to spread the word about my new book!

Here is the review:

Planting a Garden in Room 6: From Seeds to Salad

Written and photographed by Caroline Arnold

Charlesbridge. 2022

Another addition in Arnold’s Life Cycles in Room 6 series, has this kindergarten class planting a garden. In beautiful, colored photos we follow this special teacher as she shares her love of science with her students.

This year, Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Best, has brought some lettuce, kale, radish, spinach, carrots, and pea sees for student to plant in their classroom garden. Readers follow students as they discover each plant has it own kind of seed, preparing the soil to watching the seeds emerge. As they learn about helpful insects, weeding, and garden care the best part comes at harvest time when they can all enjoy the fruits of their labor with a yummy salad. 

The book includes garden vocabulary, garden questions, online sources and suggestions for further reading. *The fun part is learning that the chickens pictures in this book are the ones hatched in Arnold’s book, Hatching Chicks in Room 6. I wish I had a Mrs. Best as my Kindergarten teacher.

Visit the author's website for more information on her books. 

 

REVIEW in BOOKLIST of KEEPER OF THE LIGHT

 The following review of KEEPER OF THE LIGHT appeared in Booklist, April 15, 2022.

Keeper of the Light: Juliet Fish Nichols Fights the San Francisco Fog.

By Caroline Arnold. Illus. by Rachell Sumpter

Apr. 2022. 40p. Cameron Kids, $18.99 (9781951836375). PreS–Gr. 3

 

In 1902, Juliet Fish Nichols became the lighthouse keeper on Angel Island in San Francisco Bay. Written in first person from her point of view, this fictional narrative describes the actual woman’s solitary life, spent reading, writing reports in the log book, and maintaining the lamp that guided boats at night, as well as the machine that rang a heavy bell, warning sailors away from the island when fog hid it from view. Early one morning, her bed thrashed “like a boat in a storm.” The 1906 earthquake had struck San Francisco. Months later, when the bay was crowded with ships, the bell-ringing machine broke down. Grabbing the mallet, she struck the bell twice every 15 seconds throughout the night, saying, “The fog is fierce, but so am I.” Though not inherently dramatic, the story is well told and interesting. Sumpter contributes illustrations portraying a confident young woman within colorful surroundings including the lighthouse, her hillside garden, and the sun setting over the bay. An attractive picture book celebrating a lighthouse keeper's dedication to her work.