Book Talk
Author’s Craft:
Gail Gibbons is the author of over 170
nonfiction children’s books. She has a unique ability to simplify even the most
complex topics and make them entertaining and understandable to young
readers. Her book The Reasons For Seasons takes a topic that all children
are familiar with, but very few understand. In it she explains how the tilt of
the earth’s axis as it revolves around the sun is responsible for what we
experience as winter, spring, summer, and fall. The book provides detailed
pictures that show the earth as it rotates around the sun to help children get a
visual idea about how and why these changes take place.
In another book Tell Me, Tree,
Gibbons looks at different trees and how each tree survives in different
environments. Her graphic pictures clearly show the different characteristics of
each tree and how a tree matures from a seedling to the adult tree they see in
their backyard or in a park.
Even though Gibbons is a nonfiction
writer she isn’t above tackling supernatural subjects and providing an
interesting historical perspective. For her book Behold…the Dragons,
Gibbons takes a look at how dragons were common folklore in many different
cultures. It’s fascinating to see the different feature attributed to these
mystical creatures in different cultures and read the stories attributed to them
by ancient societies.
It is in her book RECYCLE!that
Gibbons tackles probably the greatest crisis that the next generation will
face. The book talks about the growing problem of pollution and how the trash we
generate every day is affecting our environment. Gibbons does a great job
exploring the different types of trash that goes into landfills and explains how
recycling could ease this burden on our planet.
Author’s Biography:
Gail Gibbons was born in Oak Park,
Illinois in 1944 where she developed a love for drawing and painting. She also
loved books and at the age of four she began putting together picture books for
fun. Always a curious child, young Gail developed a deep curiosity about the
world around her and how everything works. Although it was her love of art that
fueled her through school and after graduation she attended the University of
Illinois to study graphic design. She moved to New York City after college where
she took a job doing artwork for television shows, eventually she was doing
artwork for a children show when she began thinking about writing a children’s
book.
Her first book was Willy and His Wheel
Wagon. Since then Gibbons insatiable curiosity has manifested itself with
over 170 nonfiction books exploring the inner working of a variety of different
topics. Before she begins writing Gibbons does extensive research about her
subjects, which helps her to clearly explain the inner workings of her different
topics while at the same time she is always careful not to “write down” to
children with “baby talk”. In addition, Gibbons does her own illustrations,
highlighting her books with bright colors to make her work visually
exciting.
Today Gibbons is married and living in
New England, where she splits her time between a 300 acre property in rural
Vermont and an isolated island off the coast of Maine. Her unique environment
has provided her with many ideas for her books. However, she also enjoys
visiting schools, where she gets the chance to talk to children and gets many of
her ideas from them. She most enjoys sharing her enthusiasm for learning about
the fascinating world around us.
Honors and Awards include:
New York City Art Director Club award in 1979
for The Missing Maple Syrup Sap Mystery.
American Institute of Graphic Arts award 1979
for Clocks and How They Go.
National Science Teacher
Association/Children’s Gail Gibbons Book Council Award 1980 for Locks and
Keys and 1982 for Tool Book.
Certificate of appreciation from U.S.
Postmaster General in 1982 for The Post Office Book: Mail and How It
Moves.
American Library Association Notable Book
award 1983 for Cars and How They Go and 1985 for The Milk
Makers.
Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award in
1987 for contribution to nonfiction children’s literature.
National Council of social Studies Notable
children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, and
1992.
National Science Teachers Association
Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children 1983, 1987, 1991, 1998.
International Reading Association Children’s Choice Award 1989, 1995.
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
1992.International Reading Association Children’s Choice Award 1989, 1995.
Evaluation:
Because pollution is one of the greatest threats to the next generation, I think her book, RECYCLE! is the most important one Gibbons has written to date. The book talks about what happens to the trash we generate every day as well as its impact it has on the planet. As always Gibbons uses her trademark illustration to clearly reflect the impact of the trash we generate every day and its effect on earth. In addition, children are educated about the importance of recycling and the steps we can take to make a difference.
Resources:
Because pollution is one of the greatest threats to the next generation, I think her book, RECYCLE! is the most important one Gibbons has written to date. The book talks about what happens to the trash we generate every day as well as its impact it has on the planet. As always Gibbons uses her trademark illustration to clearly reflect the impact of the trash we generate every day and its effect on earth. In addition, children are educated about the importance of recycling and the steps we can take to make a difference.
Resources:
Gail (Gretchen) Gibbons (1944)- biography- personal,
career, member, honers
awards, writings, adaptions, work in
progress, sidelights. (2012). In Brief
Gail-Gretchen-1944.htm
Gibbons, G. (2010). Gail Gibbons: master of childrens
nonfiction. Retrieved from
Gibbons, G. (1999). Behold -- the dragons! New York , NY
Gibbons, G. (1995). The reason for the seasons: United States
of America: Holiday
House New York
Gibbons, G. (1992). Recycle! A hand book for kids. New York , NY
Company.
Gibbons, G. (2002). Tell me, tree:
All about trees for kids. Singapore
Company.
