Children's Nonfiction: Dazzle Ships + Beauty and the Beak

Description: This nonfiction picture book explores art, desperation, and one man's incredible idea for saving ships from German torpedoes in World War I. Dazzle camouflage transformed ordinary British and American ships into eye-popping masterpieces.

Review: I know very little about World War I, but I learned a lot from Dazzle Ships: World War I and the Art of Confusion. This short picture book is packed with information and uses art, history, and the military in a very clever way. During World War I, the British were in danger of starving because so many German U-boats were sinking American and British supply ships. Norman Wilkinson, a Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve lieutenant-commander, had the idea to paint boats in such a manner as to confuse the German submarine captains, and the concept of "dazzle ships" was born.
 In accessible text and Ngai's stunning and vibrant illustrations, Barton chronicles the creation and implementation of the strategy, including the team of women artists who designed the patterns and the laborers who painted the ships. Readers learn that the wild, striped designs fooled the U-boat captains into thinking the Allies' ships were headed in opposite directions, thus leading to confusion and failed offenses for the Germans. I would have loved to have seen some texts from the German's perspective to see how successful this technique turned out to be and their thoughts on it. There is a lot of back matter at the end of the book that explains the detail process of the dazzling process.

Curriculum Connection: Art, Social Studies

Rating: 4 stars

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.

If you like this book try: The Secret Project by Jonah Winter

Description: Meet Beauty, the bald eagle that made world news when she was injured, rescued and received a 3D-printed prosthetic beak. Follow Beauty's brave and inspiring story as she grows up in the wild, is rescued after being illegally shot, and receives a new beak specially engineered by a human team including a raptor biologist, engineer and dentist. Learn more about how bald eagles as a species came back from near extinction, and about nationwide efforts to conserve this American symbol.

Review: Beauty, a bald eagle, was shot in the face by a poacher and lost most of her upper beak. She was unable to eat, drink, or preen (keeping her feathers in top shape for protection and warmth), and would have died had she not been rescued. Since her beak did not regenerate, Beauty eventually made her way to a raptor center in Idaho, where she received and still receives continuous care. Coauthor Veltkamp, a raptor biologist (someone who studies birds of prey) and rehabilitator, worked with engineers, a dentist, and other animal experts to create an artificial beak by using a 3-D printer for Beauty. After arduous testing, an appropriate beak was created and attached. Beauty could now drink and eat on her own.
 I learned a lot of fun facts about bald eagles while reading this book. I had no idea that the bald eagle is the only bird of prey who has the ability to see in color, which is how they are able to track down their food. I also learned that the bald eagle has seven extra bones in their neck which allows them to rotate their necks all the way around. How cool is that?! Beauty and the Beak has outstanding full-page photographs of bald eagles and Beauty that accompany this uplifting account. It is amazing how far we have come with technology and how we reversed the near extinction of bald eagles in the U.S. The book's back matter includes resources for further study and additional information on the life cycle of eagles, and their habitats. 

Curriculum Connection: STEM
 
Rating:

Words of Caution: None. Recommended for Grades 3 and up.


If you like this book try: Winter's Tale: How One Little Dolphin Learned to Swim Again by Juliana Hatkoff