Engaging reads for children, from Books go Walkabout

Category: Sunbird Books

It’s Her Story: Irena Sendler

This is a fascinating graphic novel about Irena Sendler, a humanitarian and social worker in Nazi-occupied Poland during World War II.

Her job allowed her to pass through the armed gates of the Warsaw ghetto, bringing limited aid to the 450,000 Jewish people who were forcibly moved there. In secret, Irena built a network of people to smuggle 2,500 children out of the ghetto, saving their lives. And in a hidden jar, she kept their family names.

This is her story. Part of the It’s Her Story series from Sunbird Books.

Margaret Littman, the author  lives in Nashville, Tennessee and is a writer  and editor. She writes stories about people who have done amazing things and explored country music  and huge amounts of different and exciting projects. In her book Irena Sendla, Margaret retraces some of her ancestry from Poland.

Sara Luna is an illustrator from Los Angeles with a wonderful portfolio of illustrations for children’s books.

Sunbird Books are the publishers with a portfolio of innovative and original books for children. From board books to picture books to graphic novels, their  titles represent strong, lively, and diverse voices that reflect children’s realities and feed their imaginations.

Sue Martin – Children’s Literacy Specialist

Books Go Walkabout

It’s Her Story: Rosalind Franklin by Karen de Seve & illustrations by Samantha Chow

A series of books about inspirational women from Sunbird Books

A remarkable story about a woman who led in many scientific discoveries and yet never received any acknowledgments in her lifetime.

Part of a series of books which feature inspirational women in a graphic novel format.

Rosalind Franklin was a British chemist during the 1940’s and 1950’a, when fee women worked in sciences. During WW2 she expanded our knowledge of the physics of coal and carbon, and later she studied viruses.

Her ‘photo 51’ was central to the double helix structure of DNA, ground-breaking work for which she never received any credit.

The true structure of DNA…

Written by Karen de Seve, based in the US and Illustrated by Samantha Feriolla Chow from Indonesia this book brings a wealth of interest, information and intrigue to young readers.

Published by Sunbird Books It’s Her Story: Rosalind Franklin is part of a series featuring inspirational women in a graphic novel format. This works very well for children who are keen to explore the subject, and the pictures give added information about the setting that words would take longer to express.

Its Her Story Josephine Baker by Lauren Gamble & illustrated by Markia Jenai

Left a segregated America in 1925…became the most famous entertainer in Paris

A graphic novel for children ages 7 to 10. Josephine Baker left a segregated America in 1925 and became the most famous entertainer in Paris, France. She went on to be the first Black woman to star in a movie, a volunteer spy during World War II, and the mother of twelve adopted children from around the world. Then, she returned to the States to dance for American audiences and bring her voice to the Civil Rights Movement.

This is her story and a fascinating glimpse of a world where as a black woman she had to force her way for the rights of so many.

I would thoroughly recommend these graphic novels from Sunbird Books for children from 7-10 years and beyond. Graphic novels which are fact based provide a huge resource bank for children, schools and libraries.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

It’s Her Story – Amelia Earhart a Graphic Novel, by Kim Moldofsky and illustrated by Alan Brown

Follow your dreams…

Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean. She piloted many record-breaking flights became an author, advised engineers, taught college students, and defended women’s rights. On her attempted flight solo around the world, she disappeared somewhere in the Pacific Ocean.

This is such a great story and the graphic novel design is a perfect fit for Amelia’s story, which brings dreams for all children but especially girls, into reality. It demonstrates how Amelia, who was born in 1897, started work helping immigrant families, but at the same time flying whenever she had the chance. She gained a pilot’s license in 1921,after the First World War. She was enthralled with flying after she visited a Winter Air Tournament in Long Beach.

Amelia loved flying…

To find out more you need to read the book. I am really intrigued because I would have loved to learn to fly, and trials in 2 seater planes and microlights left me buzzing, but I never made it to be a pilot!!

Ah well, it still makes this book a wonderful book to read, which through the graphics, the story of Amelia Earhart is available to everyone, whatever level of reading.

Kim Moldofsky is the author and  it is beautifully illustrated by Alan Brown.

It’s Her Story is a series featuring amazing, inspirational women in graphic novel format, published by sunbird books, part of Phoenix International Publications. More titles available later this year.

Definitely worth purchasing and a really good book for children keen to follow their own dreams and to learn about others.

Sue Martin Children’s Literacy Specialist

Stories across the world…

It’s Her Story  – Shirley Chisholm by Patrice Aggs and illustrated by Markia Jenai

‘if they don’t give you a seat at the table, bring a folding chair.” Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm, was the first Black woman elected to the United States Congress and campaigned for the rights of children and women in the USA.

She worked to improve the lives of children in need and was an outspoken champion of women’s rights. In 1972, she was the first Black person ever to seek the nomination of President of the United States from a major party. This is her story.

This graphic novel is a powerful and exceptionally interesting book, which packs a real punch in the story and the graphics which show just how hard it was for Shirley to find her way through all the rules and regulations. She made real changes which have improved the lives of many people.

Graphic novel series It’s her Story

The series is published by sunbird books, an imprint of Phoenix International Publications. The series covers a brilliant range of women, including Dolly Parton and Marie Curie.

Patrice Aggs is the author, she is an American illustrator and writer now living in the UK.

Markia Jenai  the illustrator is from Michigan and she is passionate about spread the beauty of diversity and culture.

In my work with literacy and the power of reading in schools this the series is a brilliant way into books for children. In Shirley Chisholm they have a way into history too and an understanding of how different lives can have such an effect on us all. They help us tell our own stories too.

Sue Martin

Stories Across the World

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