Publisher: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Children
Publication Date: February 1, 2005
About The Author Anne Bustard holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts.
A Texas Music Legend This picture book provides a delightful glimpse into the life of Charles Hardin Holley, better known as Buddy Holly.
The author uses colorful "Texas-talk" to describe Buddy's family and early life. Buddy was raised in a musical family so it was only natural for him to take to the guitar when he was in the sixth grade.
Just past Buddy's seventeenth birthday, he and his friend Jack were asked to sing and play on a weekly local radio show.
"Faster than greased lightnin', louder than a thunderstorm, more powerful than a Texas twister, and plumb full of gumption. Buddy and his friends wrote and played hip-hoppin' tunes. No foolin'. That music blasted them into out-of-this-world places".
The author includes an "Afterword"that gives biographical information about Buddy Holly's life and death.
My Thoughts I was thrilled to find this book (1st ed., signed by author) at a local thrift shop. It is not a new book, but it is perfect for the Texas history/music niche for children ages 6 - 10. I am a Buddy Holly fan and I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
The text is lively and the color illustrations are superb. This book is excellent for a unit in Texas history or music history in the elementary grades. I would share a Buddy Holly song with my listener and then read the book.
I once was a substitute teacher in an elementary music classroom. The teacher had a large bin of picture books about famous musicians. Kudos to this teacher for including biography books in her lessons. This book is a perfect fit for a teacher or parent who wants to introduce students to a time when rock ruled.
MY RATING: 5 STARS OUT OF 5
FYI - I purchased this hardcover book with my own funds.
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Suggested Audience: 7th Grade Texas History Students
Objectives: (From Texas 7th Grade Social Studies TEKS) (3) History. The student understands how individuals, events, and issues related to the Texas Revolution shaped the history of Texas. The student is expected to:
(B) explain the roles played by significant individuals during the Texas Revolution, including George Childress, Lorenzo de Zavala, James Fannin, Sam Houston, Antonio López de Santa Anna, Juan N. Seguín, and William B. Travis;
(C) explain the issues surrounding significant events of the Texas Revolution, including the Battle of Gonzales, William B. Travis’s letter “To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World,” the siege of the Alamo and all the heroic defenders who gave their lives there, the Constitutional Convention of 1836, Fannin’s surrender at Goliad, and the Battle of San Jacinto;
Technology: I made this video using Animoto Pro. I added the interactive elements using a Premium Education Thinglink account.
After her father leaves for Austin, Texas, Ima Hogg is left in charge of their unique farm and taking care of her mischievous little brother.
Author: Margaret McManis Illustrator: Bruce Dupree
Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
Date: September 1, 2008
About the Author Margaret McManis, a former children's librarian, serves as a guest lecturer at schools, museums, libraries, and bookstores. She has written two other books for children; Ima and the Great Ostrich Race and Ole! Cinco de Mayo. Ima Minds Her Little Brother Ima Hogg's father was a 19th century governor of Texas. He had to travel to Austin for the election, so he left Ima in charge of "minding" her little brother, Tom. They lived on a ranch with many exotic and unusual animals.
Ima took her responsibility very seriously and was determined to keep her brother in line while her father was away. Tom liked to "bother the buffaloes, outrage the ostriches, and panic the pachyderms."
Ima was at her wit's end when Tom caused the animals to stampede and put their safety in danger. She knew she had to do something to get Tom to leave the animals alone.
Ima came up with a "sticky" plan that would keep Tom away from the animals and out of danger.
My Thoughts This is a historical fiction story based on the lives of a real Texas governor and his family. The author included a page at the end of the book that tells about the real Governor James Stephen Hogg and his delightful family that included Ima and her four brothers. Since their mother died when Ima was thirteen, she was often left in charge of her younger siblings.
Ima's father knew that he could trust her to take care of Tom while he was away. Ima was up to the task. Her little brother was "all boy", but Ima came up with an ingenious idea to keep him out of trouble until their father returned.
Children will notice the loving care that Ima gave her brother...even when she was angry with him! The antics with the animals will have children laughing out loud. Can you imagine a stampede of buffaloes, ostriches and elephants?
The full-page color illustrations complimented the text and added a great deal to the enjoyment of this book.
This book makes Texas history fun and will have children begging to learn more about Ima Hogg and her family. The book is perfect for read-aloud to young children or independent reading for more advanced readers. Highly recommended!
My Rating: 5 Stars Out Of 5 FYI ~ I checked out a print copy of this book from my local public library.
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Author: Margaret McManis Illustrator: Bruce Dupree
Publisher: Eakin Press
Date: September 1, 2003
About The Author Margaret McManis is a retired school librarian and a children's book author. She loves interesting characters in history and hopes to introduce kids to fascinating people like Miss Ima Hogg.
"Girl, You've Got Mettle!" This is a fictionalized account of the life of young Ima Hogg, the daughter of Governor James Hogg of Texas.
The story is told from a first-person perspective and tells about a crazy race between Ima and her two brothers. Ima is riding her ostrich named Ossy and her brothers are riding their fastest quarter horses.
Ima's father encourages Ima by saying, "Girl, you've got mettle!" She remembers these words as she climbs on Ossy's back and confidently begins her attempt to show her brothers that she indeed has "mettle."
My Thoughts Ima Hogg was a real person and became widely known for supporting the arts, historical preservation and mental health programs. Ima was eight years old when her father was elected governor of Texas in 1890. Their home was filled with famous people and exotic animals, including two ostriches named Jack and Jill.
The author exhibits her marvelous imagination by taking these facts and creating a picture book that children will find fascinating and hilarious. This book will wet children's curiosity about this period in Texas history and the captivating world of ostriches.
I especially like the way Ima's father encourages her and uses the word "mettle" to describe her. The word "mettle" means courage, valor, vigor and ardor. These are wonderful words for young women to treasure and live by.
The color illustrations add a great deal to the humor in this book. Mr. Dupree did an excellent job capturing the heart of the story.
This book was published over ten years ago but I honestly believe it should have a permanent place in your children's book collection. I hope the author will make this book available in digital format so a new generation of techie children can enjoy Ima and her antics!
My Rating: 5 Stars Out of 5 FYI ~ I checked out a print copy of this book from my local public library.
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Last weekend my husband and I visited the Country Campus Golf Course. It is located about 10 miles northeast of Huntsville on SH 19 near the City of
Riverside.
This nine-hole golf course was once the location of a POW camp during World War II. German and Japanese prisoners of war were transported to Texas and held here until the end of the war.
Camp Huntsville was one of the first prisoner of war camps built in the U.S.
during World War II and the first in Texas. It was was built in the spring and
summer of 1942 and included facilities to accommodate 4,800 prisoners. It
consisted of more than 400 buildings, including a cafeteria, gymnasium, laundry,
and hospital. There were clubs for commissioned and noncommissioned officers,
and separate barracks for the American and prisoner personnel. The first prisoners to use the camp were members of Germany’s Afrika Korps
who arrived in the spring of 1943. By the fall of the same year, the camp’s
population hit its peak at 4,840. Two years later, it became a branch camp for
Camp Hearne where its prisoners were sent to make way for the arrival of a small
group of Japanese prisoners. The Army closed the camp in December 1945, and all
prisoners were repatriated. After the War, the Camp was donated to Sam Houston State Teachers' College
(now Sam Houston State University), who renamed it the Country Campus and turned
it into an almost a self-sustaining city with living quarters for students and
professors, a hospital, post office, fire department, meat processing plant,
gymnasium and cafeteria. After the University closed the Country Campus, they sold the land to Sam
Dominey, the son of the original owners. A few of the original buildings remain
and the land is used for cattle ranching and a golf course. I made the following video of the the golf course and the buildings from the prison that are still standing.
I like to learn about the history of my state and my country. It is was hard to process the fact that we were playing golf on the same location that housed thousands of Nazi prisoners some 70 years ago. The following state historical marker is posted at the entrance to the golf course.
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