School Age Storytime: Big Dreamers

School visit promo for 2012 Summer Reading Club "Dream Big - READ!"
Each one of these books could also be used with the 2014 SRC theme : Fizz, Boom, Read!  and as a lead in to a STEM project
(see my other Inventors & Inventions posts).

Book: Wizard from the Start: the Incredible Boyhood & Amazing Inventions of Thomas Edison by Don Brown (B Edison) info. about visit to Edison Labs:  http://www.nps.gov/edis/index.htm amazingly industrious boy/man, New Jersey labs earned over 1000 patents in his lifetime.

Book: In the Bag: Margaret Knight Wraps it Up by Monica Kulling (B Knight) -- the story of a 19th c. woman inventor and her struggle to get a patent on her invention of the flat-bottomed paper bag.

Book: The Fabulous Flying Machines of Alberto Santos-Dumont by Victoria Griffith (B Santos-Dumont) incredible story of man who rode his dirigible around Paris to do errands and ended up designing the one of the first self-propelled airplanes in the world in 1906 (his took off on wheels, the Wright Bros. 1904 plane required a launching rail or catapult -- here's a discussion of the controversy over "firsts" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alberto_Santos-Dumont

Book: The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind by William Kamkwamba et. al (B Kamkw) Autobiography of a 14 year old young man from Malawi who , faced with a drought in 2001, educated himself using the books from an American-supplied village library and learn to make a windmill. His windmills now power electric lights and water irrigation for his village. Your kids might enjoy seeing the 6 min. TED talk where he spoke: http://www.ted.com/talks/william_kamkwamba_how_i_harnessed_the_wind.html   He is now studying to be an engineer at Dartmouth college.   Here's another interesting article about clever developing country solutions: http://www.gizmag.com/pop-bottles-provide-light/19829/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kHTD_RX3J2I solar lighting from soda bottleshttp://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/engineering/gonzo/soccer-ball-that-makes-electricity-during-the-game

Book: Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters by Barack Obama (179 OBA) presents a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O'Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America's children. 
I ended the program with the hope that the students would use this summer (and the future) to pursue their dreams, mentioning that the library has many books to help them learn about more dreamers and discover their dreams.   I hope someday that I will read (or even write) their biographies because they have followed their dreams!

6/2012

Pursue your dreams!

Firebird – Misty Copland (2014)

Little Melba and her Big Trombone – Katheryn Russell-Brown (2014)
http://www.slj.com/2015/02/collection-development/inventors-innovators-and-inspirers-great-picture-book-biographies/