46) Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought)

Bibliography: Krull, Kathleen (Ill by Hewitt, Kathryn); Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought); Harcourt Brace & Company; San Diego, CA; 1994; 95 pages; ISBN 978-0-15-248009-9.

Plot:  Shakespeare wrote with a feather quill and ink; Emily Dickinson wrote with a fountain pen; Isaac Bashevis Singer wrote on a Yiddish typewriter. But what did such writers do when they weren't writing? What did Jane Austen eat for breakfast? What could make Mark Twain throw his shirts out the window? Why would Zora Neale Hurston punch a fellow elevator passenger? Lives of the Writers: Comedies, Tragedies (and What the Neighbors Thought) tells all that and more, including plenty about writing, how these writers viewed the world of literature—and how their neighbors viewed them.

In this companion to the highly praised Lives of the Musicians: Good Times, Bad Times (and What the Neighbors Thought), Kathleen Krull and Kathryn Hewitt offer the inside scoop on twenty literary luminaries. Even famous writers are real people with odd habits, secret hopes, dismal failure, and wild successes; Lives of the Writers reveals it all with wit and style. (http://www.kathleenkrull.com/books.html)

Review:  This book is so interesting.  It contains information about some of the greatest authors in an easy to understand format.  It provides information that will help students working on school reports, or who are just interested in biography.  The facts will keep readers interested in each writer.  The drawings of each author are very detailed and visually pleasing.  Hewitt includes little pieces in each drawing that are discussed in the biography of each author.  The text covers authors that many students will be introduced to in junior high and high school.  The authors include Murasaki Shikibu, Miguel de Cervantes, Shakespeare, Jane Austen, Hans Christian Anderson, Edgar Allan Poe, Charles Dickens, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, Mark Twain, Frances Hodgson Burnett, Robert Louis Stevenson, Jack London, Carl Sandburg, E.B. White, Zora Neale Hurston, Langston Hughes, and Isaac Bashevis Singer.  I absolutely loved reading the life stories of these writers and can’t wait to share this book with students in the future.

Genre: Nonfiction; Biography

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books:  Lives of Extraordinary Women: Rulers, Rebels (and What the Neighbors Thought) by Kathleen Krull; Who Was Jackie Robinson? by Gail Herman; Who Was Pablo Picasso? by True Kelley.

Awards:

The 2011 Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC – Nonfiction Award Winner for Body of Work

Author Information: http://www.kathleenkrull.com/author.html

38) Justina Ford: Medical Pioneer

Bibliography:  Lohse, Joyce B.; Justina Ford: Medical Pioneer; Filter Press, LLC; Palmer Lake, CO; 2004; 56 pages; ISBN 0-86541-074-7.

Plot:  Justina Ford was born in Knoxville, Illinois in 1871.  Her mother was a practical nurse to slaves and inspired Justina to be a doctor.  When she was younger she would play hospital with her siblings and friends and always insist on being the doctor.  Justina worked hard in school and went to medical school at Chicago’s Hering Medical College.  In 1902, Justina and her husband, Reverend Ford moved to Denver.  Justina set up her practice in Denver and would birth babies of all races at a time when Denver would turn away mothers based on race and economic situation.  In her time she delivered over 7,000 babies. 

Review:  This is such an interesting biography.  The book is published by a small Colorado publisher that has recently started publishing books about interesting figures that made their life in Colorado.  The series is great for grade schoolers assigned to write a paper on important historical figures.  Since the series focuses on Colorado history, students in Colorado will be able to learn about people that helped shape their community and state. 

The book is short and focused on the importance of Justina Ford.  The book provides a dictionary of some of the new terms that readers may encounter.  It also lists a couple of resources for additional exploration.  While this is helpful, I found that the resources were a bit dated.  I feel that grade schoolers will like this series and be very interested in using the books for any biography research they need.

Genre: Nonfiction/Biography

Interest Level: age 9-12

Related Books:  Helen Keller by Margaret Davidson; Harry Houdini by Vicki Cobb; The First Woman Doctor by Rachel Baker.

For Further Information:  http://www.denverstorytrek.org/people/e7e3b37e2334156c480767b40ae2a88393058742