Books for Kindergarten through 8th grade
"A perfect blend of words and pictures," said Storyreader.
Over FIFTY AWARDS
Elijah and George A Revolutionary Tale, by Michael Dooling
Chapter Book Grades 3-Adult
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Dear Mother, by Michael Dooling
Picture Book Grades 3-6
Learn about the Civil War through the eyes of a twelve-year-old bugle boy’s letter home to his mother. Soldiers from both the North and the South wrote letters home describing the hardships they endured. Many boys under the age of fifteen, and even some girls masquerading as boys, enlisted as messengers, scouts, drummers, fifes, and buglers.
“I love the settings and the masterful details in your Civil War art.” -R. Hauck, Staff Action Control Officer at HQDA
“Powerful Message.” -N. Solell, Senior Education Consultant
5.0 out of 5 stars. “M. Dooling has done it again! It (this book) really captures the heartbreaking tragedies of that war; I only wish MD could find a similar letter from a Confederate boy or girl to create a sequel. All of Mr. Dooling’s works are well worth the investments both for home and schools!” -M. Byrd, Teacher/Librarian
Fossil Hunter: and the Lizard of the Dragon of Antiquity, by Michael Dooling
Picture Book Grades 2-6
Strange and monstrous bones for your classroom! Author & Illustrator Michael Dooling brings fossil hunter William Foulke’s quest for strange and monstrous bones to life. In 1858, Foulke unearthed the first almost complete dinosaur skeleton ever found, proving what dinosaurs looked like and that they really once existed. Foulke changed paleontology from a gentlemen’s hobby to a mainstream science.
“Here are strange marls, the relics of infinite animal life, into which has sunk the lizard of the dragon of antiquity–the gigantic Hadrosaurus….” -Lippincott’s Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, 1873
“This is a great addition for any library or classroom!” -Ruth Teacher
“Michael’s stories are a blend of meticulously researched history, grand adventure, lovely art, and just plain cool subject matter–regardless of the reader’s gender. Perfect for the reluctant reader, budding scholar, and every kid in between.” -Grace Burrowes, JD, MA, child advocate, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author
George Washington’s Army and Me, by Michael Dooling
Picture Book Grades 2-6
A poignant story told through the eyes of a young boy and based on letters and diaries of people who marched with the Army.
“This is a great book to be used by educators and parents…” Mtn Horserider
“Well written and beautifully illustrated.” -TeachersNet Gazette
“Beautiful story with gorgeous illustrations. This picture book is the perfect addition to a classroom library or as a gift for 2-6th graders. The story will touch your heart and the illustrations are simply stunning. This book is a favorite in my classroom. ” -loves to teach
Young Thomas Edison, by Michael Dooling
Picture Book Grades 2-6 (Originally published by Holiday House)
“Dooling has brought Edison’s boyhood into focus through careful attention to visual detail and a readable text. What emerges is a story of a determined, focused young man who, despite significant hearing loss and other setbacks, continued to experiment and create inventions that we still use today. …somber oil on canvas illustrations use a dark palette and are extraordinarily beautiful. Each page exhibits an artistic mastery that perfectly draws out the subject and fills the space with objects that reflect the period. This inspiring book honors a brilliant inventor and belongs in every library.” -School Library Journal (Starred Review)
“This book exceeded all of our expectations…it is literature of this quality that instills a love of history in a child – Exquisite!” -Treetop Learning
Chosen as a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People 2006 by the Children’s Book Council and National Council for the Social Studies.
Chosen for Maryland State’s Black-Eyed Susan Picture Book List
Selected as a Children’s Crown Award Nominee by National Christian School Association
The Great Horse-Less Carriage Race, by Michael Dooling
Picture Book Grades K-6 (Originally published by Holiday House)
“This exciting account of the race that gave birth to America’s first automobile company is accompanied by vivid paintings guaranteed to transport readers to an unforgettable day in our history.”
“Children will be captivated by this vivid, tongue-in-cheek glimpse of the earliest automobiles and the doughty men who built and rode them to victory.” -Booklist
“Dooling has lovingly re-created an era… his spreads convey the icy dullness of the day, the enthusiasm of the onlookers, and even the frenzy of the race.” -School Library Journal
Lewis and Clarke and Me: A Dog’s Tale, by Laurie Myers (Henry Holt and Company)
Chapter Book Grades 3-6
“The dog’s eye-view is well done and refreshing, excerpts from Lewis’s actual journal enliven the text, and Dooling’s beautiful oil paintings seem just right, as full of action, beauty, danger, and majesty as the land they portray.” -Kirkus
Nominated for fifteen awards and received the Pennsylvania Young Readers Choice Award 2004, Cochecho Readers Award 2004, IRA Teacher’s Choice List 2003, and IRA Parent’s Choice List 2003.
Young Reader Award Winner Pennsylvania, Young Reader Award Honor Book Michigan
Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association 2002 Book Award Nominee
Texas Christian Schools Assn-Children’s Crown Award Nominee 2005
The Amazing Life of Benjamin Franklin, by James Cross Giblin (Scholastic)
Picture Book Grades 3-6
“This biography is remarkable for its readable, interesting, and yet strictly reportorial tone, which results nonetheless in bringing Franklin to vibrant life. Dooling’s oil illustrations, as well as his sketches of the important figures who surrounded Franklin, extend the book’s accessibility and compound its readability.” -Kirkus
“Giblin’s writing is lively – Dooling provides both expertly executed paintings and simple line drawings to bring Franklin’s story close to today’s readers.” -Booklist
Chosen as an Orbis Pictus Honor Book, a New York Public Library Best Book of Year, and Hornbook Best Book of Year.
Received starred reviews from Booklist, HornBook, and School Library Journal.
The Memory Coat, by Elvira Woodruff (Scholastic)
Picture Book Grades K-6
“The Memory Coat traces the courageous journey of a family of Russian Jews as they uproot their lives, abandon their homeland, and make their way to New York in search of religious and economic freedom. Woodruff’s carefully chosen text and Michael Dooling’s rich, realistic illustrations put young readers in the thick of it, by honestly depicting the sites, sounds, and smells of the immigrant experience.” -Hungry Mind Review
A Smithsonian Magazine Notable Book for Children, 1999
A CBC/NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, 2000
A Selector’s Choice
The Carolyn Field Award (PA Library Association)
Mary and the Sea Dragon, by Jeannine Atkins
Picture Book Grades K-6 (Originally published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
“A beautifully illustrated biography of Mary Anning, a child who started looking for seashells and stone sea lilies and ended up discovering fossil remains. The illustrations capture the misty seashore and the people of 18th century England. A good choice for the younger biography section.” -Children’s Book Review Service Inc.
A NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade book, 2000
“A sensitive . . . portrait of the real-life discoverer of the first complete ichthyosaur fossil . . . The patience and dogged determination of the unconventional Mary shines through.” -Publishers Weekly
“Smoothly crafted.” -School Library Journal
The Boy Who Saved Cleveland, by James Cross Giblin (Henry Holt & Company)
Chapter Book Grades 3-6
In 1798, Cleveland, Ohio was in danger of being wiped out by a malaria epidemic. Based on fact, this book tells the remarkable story of Seth Doan, a young boy whose heroic efforts kept his family and neighbors alive, and ultimately put the City of Cleveland on the map.
“Giblin recounts the story of 10-year-old Seth Doan, who helped to save the early settlers of Cleveland, Ohio, during an outbreak of malaria in 1798….Dooling’s realistic pencil illustrations, which focus on the characters and their feelings, will help younger readers to visualize the rustic setting…. A welcome addition to the historical fiction shelves.” -Booklist
Chosen for 2007 Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended List
Chosen for 2007 CCBC Choices List
Selected for the Best Book of Year List by Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street
Selected for New Mexico Children’s Choice Award Master List (The Land of Enchantment Book Award) 2008-2009
Selected for Volunteer State Book Award Master Reading List 2009-2010
The Gift of the Magi and Other Stories, by O.Henry
Chapter Book Grades 3-8 (Originally published by William Morrow)
“Michael Dooling contributes 15 plates to enhance this O.Henry collection…An excellent gift purchase.” -American Bookseller
“Dooling’s exquisite plates, one for each story…a realistic style that captures the wry characterization of O.Henry prose.” -Booklist
American Bookseller’s Pick of the Lists
Anne Hutchinson’s Way, by Jeannine Atkins
Picture Book Grades 2-6 (Originally published by Farrar, Straus & Giroux)
Named one of the “Top Ten Religion Books for Youth” in Booklist
Included in the 2008 Amelia Bloomer Project Recommended Titles List
Selected for Bank Street College List of The Best Children’s Books of the Year