The method and reason behind the madness...

The selections: Mainly, I have chosen books that were recommended during my "Transacting with Literature" class taught by Dr. Wooten at the University of TN. Some of these books were recommended by Dr. Wooten and some were introduced to me by my fabulous classmates. Additionally, some of the books were added to my database because I just love the book. Many of my entries are formatted in the annotated bibliography format in order to meet the requirements for the aforementioned class. However, many of my entries were made and labeled purely for my own convenience. How this page works: You can search by searching keywords in the top left hand corner of the page. You type in words that might relate to something you are studying or reading about and the blog will spit out the books that are labeled with those keywords. For example, WWII, give it a try. Also, you can click on the labels on the right hand side of the page or the bottom of each blog to find similar or related books. My goal: I hope to be able to add to this electronic database every time a friend recommends a book. Eventually, I would love to be able to type a key word into my search and pull a list of books to meet my needs. My request: If you are visiting this site and you can think of some books I must read, please send me an email and let me know. I'll create an entry for the book and label it appropriately to work with my other entries.

Snowflake Bentley




Martin, Jacqueline. (1998) Snowflake Bentley. Illustrated by Mary Azarian. NY. Houghton Mifflin for Children.

Amazon.com Review
Most children are captivated by snow, but how many go on to make it their lifework? This beautiful biography, winner of the 1999 Caldecott Medal, tells the true story of a Vermont farm boy who was mesmerized by snowflakes. Wilson Bentley was fascinated by the six-sided frozen phenomena, and once he acquired a microscope with a camera, his childhood preoccupation took on a more scientific leaning. Bentley spent his life taking countless exquisite photographs (many that are still used in nature photography today), examining the tiny crystals and their delicate, mathematical structures. Jacqueline Briggs Martin tells this tale with simple, graceful prose that will engage children's imaginations. Edifying and snowflake-scattered sidebars offer more information about Bentley's methods and snowflake science. The artwork of Mary Azarian, whose 19th-century hand-press illustrations decorate the charming Barn Cat, shines once again in Snowflake Bentley, with woodcuts that reveal an appreciation for detail as well as for the man who loved snow. The lovely illustrations and equally fresh text will inspire and comfort youngsters (and grownups too) who wish they could capture snowflakes all year long. (Ages 4 to 8) --Brangien Davis


Click HERE to visit the Wilson Bentley site.

Labels: , , , , ,