Who Was George Washington Carver Book Review

Who Was George Washington Carver by Jim Gigliotti

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Genre: Non-Fiction

Introduction and Justification:

            Students read biographies to learn about people in the past and present. The “Who Was/Who Is/What is” series focuses on important people and places. For this book review it was important to read a book from the popular series. When deciding what who was/who is book to read the decision was easy. George Washington Carver. George Washington Carver is credited with being a famous African American and peanuts. He comes up every year during Black History Month. As a reader I wanted to know more about this gentleman who changed the world and learn if he really discovered peanut butter.

Evaluation of book:

Gigliotti used precise vocabulary to discuss the life of George Washington Carver. He did not add extra fluff but also, made the book engaging. He was honest in what he didn’t know and did not make up information. This was refreshing to see in a book. So often, we expect all the answers and never accept that sometimes information is not known. Instead of omitting information the author clearly states what information is unknown. The vocabulary also helps the reader to understand how humble and motivated Carver was. He never gave up and kept moving to accomplish his goals. The author also addresses misconceptions about Carver’s life and gently corrects those misconceptions.        

When the name George Washington Carver comes up everyone assumes, he created peanut butter. The book has the unexpected insights into what Carver really helped to contribute. Carver was actually a slave but from the accounts of the book was treated more like family. He became an asset to those around him for his horticulture skills. This information is not normally spread. He also went to college which was rare for a black man. He was able to do a lot of good at the Tuskegee Institute. This was all information that is not common knowledge about Carver. The author also stated that he was a gifted artist and worked all the time but never lost his connection to nature. Another unexpected insight was that he discovered and shared information on how the cotton crops had to be rotated to produce better soil.

The book provides interesting asides. As the reader gets to certain pieces of information there are facts and illustrations to develop comprehension. For example, there is a section on Booker T. Washington so that the reader has some schema or background knowledge. There is also a timeline in the back of the book. All this information helps the reader get a fuller picture. One of the sections discusses the Jim Crow Laws. Each of these asides gives important information and clues to the reader.

Response:

            Misconceptions are prevalent throughout society. © One common misconception is that George Washington Carver created peanut butter. When choosing this book, I purposely choose someone I knew very little about. It was fascinating to see how he started as a slave, then got an education, became a professor and is responsible for many of the horticultural and eating practices today. (e) This simple text gives a lot of information in engaging manageable pieces. The book can build background knowledge while still going over the major aspects of Carver’s life. There are elements that were included that were interesting but also not necessary such as stating they did not know how many siblings he had. (d) It is important that this book is shared. Students need to understand about the power of education, how anyone can make a difference no matter what your upbringing is. It is also important to know how to make something from nothing. Carver found old items and made them beautiful this is an important lesson for the world to see.

Conclusion:

            George Washington Carver did not discover peanut butter; however, he did impact the world. His horticulture discoveries are used by farmers today. He is a pioneer in education, farming, and art. The series is well made and easy to understand. The author uses precise vocabulary, unexpected insights, and interesting asides to teach the reader. This series is an easy series to recommend because it is easy to read, engaging, and informative. 

Works Cited

Gigliotti, J. (2015). Who Was George Washington Carver. New York: Scholastic.

Williamson, O. M. (n.d.). How to Write a Reaction Paper or Reader Response. Retrieved from Reader Response: http://utminers.utep.edu/omwilliamson/engl0310link/readerresponse.htm