Review by Booklist Review
Ages 5^-8. There are many biographies of Eleanor Roosevelt, but this one is special. Not only does it boast Cooney's artwork, but it also gets to the heart of a young girl, which in many ways is as interesting as Roosevelt's later, well-known accomplishments. "From the beginning the baby was a disappointment to her mother." So begins Eleanor's story, in which the child with the beautiful mother quickly realizes that she is not pretty and feels less worthy because of it. Despite the love of her father and the affection of her family, young Eleanor continues to feel alone, and, after her father's death, even more desolate. Children will respond viscerally to the longing for affection, to the fear and insecurity that accompanies loss, and they will be uplifted by Eleanor's eventual realization of her own special talents, especially her capacity for compassion. Cooney also re-creates an era of mansions and balls that, despite the grandeur, mean little without love. Cooney is at her artistic best here, with full-page pictures, winding spreads, and half-page scenes that use intriguing perspectives and superb detail to excellent advantage, all the while keeping Eleanor, usually alone or set apart, as the pictures' focus. Cooney also ably sets Eleanor's story as fairy tale, one that as far as this book goes, has a happy ending. --Ilene Cooper
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The privileged though painful childhood of First Lady and humanitarian Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) is chronicled with tenderness and care in Caldecott Medalist Cooney's (Emily; The Ox-Cart Man) memorable picture book biography. Skillfully compressing a bounty of detail, the author/artist focuses on Eleanor's emotional life as a childhood "ugly duckling": "From the beginning the baby was a disappointment to her mother," Cooney begins. The tale ends with Eleanor's years at Allenswood, the English boarding school whose gifted headmistress helped transform Eleanor into a confident young woman. Cooney wisely refrains from specifically naming the Roosevelt family, allowing children to experience the text as an entertaining story as well as a piece of history. Creamy, reverently rendered paintings portray fashionable Manhattan, Hudson River Valley and Long Island settings; Cooney's intricate reproductions of houses and her recreations of period clothing and interiors are pleasures to behold as well as visual history lessons. An afterword sheds light on Eleanor Roosevelt's career (but would have benefited from the inclusion of her birth, marriage and death dates); most readers will probably want to explore more fully the groundbreaking achievements outlined here. Ages 5-up. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 1-3Cooney once again brings her unique vision to biography. Beginning the story with Eleanor's Roosevelt's mother's disappointment at her birth, the author emphasizes the girl's lonely and often fearful childhood. By the time she was nine, both of her parents were dead, and she lived with her grandmother. At 15, Eleanor was sent to boarding school in London; when she returned home three years later, she had gained a confident understanding of her own unique strengths. The book ends with Eleanor's public role still to come. A brief afterword provides information about her worldwide influence in her later life. For young readers, however, the important story is of Eleanor's childhood and the many problems she overcame. Cooney's paintings are well suited to her subject and convey a sense of the past through muted colors and careful details. By showing the young Eleanor at the fringes of the pictures on many pages, the artist emphasizes her subject's isolation and loneliness. Toward the end of the story, however, Eleanor is squarely in the center of the page. Cooney thus accentuates Eleanor's coming out, her character now fully formed in all its quiet dignity.Barbara Kiefer, Teachers College, Columbia University, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
(Intermediate, Older) A nugget of thought from Aeschylus - "I know how men in exile feed on dreams" - is a beautiful capstone for Ashabranner's tale of banishment. The exile in 1875 of seventy-two men and one woman from the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) to a military fort in St. Augustine, Florida, was the work of post-Civil-War General Philip Henry Sheridan, commander of military forces in the Southwest, who "had no sympathy for Indians who hindered white settlement of the Great Plains." Captain Richard Pratt, assigned to supervise the nightmarish train journey and the imprisonment, was a humane man who set in motion two very different events in Native American history. Wanting activity for his prisoners, he gave them art supplies, and a flood of vivid, commercially successful folk art flowed from men who had never before drawn or painted. When the Indians were released from prison after three years, Pratt led the way in getting them accepted to boarding schools under the rising tide of assimilation. Ashabranner's chronicle focuses on the background events as the Indians were forced into reservations; the journey to prison; the outpouring of art; and the effect of the assimilation movement, which finally ended in the 1930s with the Indian Reorganization Act. The beautifully rendered account is illustrated with excellent black-and-white photographs and color reproductions of the art. It's a sobering history lesson and an intriguing glimpse into the workings of the human spirit. Bibliography and index. m.a.b. H Rhoda Blumberg Full Steam Ahead: The Race to Build a Transcontinental Railroad (Intermediate) Illustrated with photographs, reproductions, and maps. Rhoda Blumberg revives the past by presenting pivotal events in history through an admirable blend of scholarship and vigorous writing. Turning her attention to the politics surrounding the signing of the Pacific Railroad Act of 1862, she documents the effects of that act on the development of the United States: its relationship to the concept of Manifest Destiny and its response to the demands of an emerging industrial complex. Political expediency and greed were dominant forces from the beginning, igniting the rivalry between the Central Pacific Railroad Company (authorized to lay tracks from west to east starting in Sacramento, California) and the Union Pacific Railroad Company (which would start building at the Mississippi River and move West). Many particulars, such as the exact location of the spot where the two would join, were never specified. In ten generously illustrated chapters, Blumberg describes these and other dilemmas and evokes the personalities of the owners and their subordinates as well as the laissez-faire attitudes which sacrificed thousands of workers, particularly the Chinese, to the concept of "progress." Also exploited were numbers of Native Americans whose lives were changed forever by the slaughter of the great buffalo herds and the seizure of lands granted to them by government treaty. But the railroads also opened territory for settlement as pioneers sought opportunity to become large-scale landowners. In addition to vivid descriptions of the staggering problems facing the builders, Blumberg enhances her narrative with tales of rowdy frontier culture and the ways in which it developed, enlightening accounts of elaborate public relations campaigns, and illuminating corrections to popularly held beliefs - the rival companies met at Promontory Summit, Utah, not Promontory Point, for example. Footnote citations are unobtrusively integrated into the text; the notes themselves frequently offer fascinating tidbits which might have impeded the narrative flow. The division of the bibliography into primary and secondary sources adds another elegant touch to a model piece of nonfiction. Index. m.m.b. Laurie Krasny Brown and Marc Brown, Author-Illustrators When Dinosaurs Die: A Guide to Understanding Death (Picture Book) Using a similar style and format to Dinosaurs Divorce, the Browns have created a practical and sensitive discussion of death for young children. The text covers a range of topics, including "What Does Dead Mean?" "Feelings about Death," and "Keeping Customs." The information covers both the secular and the religious and details several different traditions. A final section, "Ways to Remember Someone," gives the reader practical suggestions so a "person can always be a part of you." The book closes with a glossary to explain unfamiliar words. The text is clear and straightforward, and the cartoony illustrations of personified dinosaurs, complete with speech balloons and touches of humor, extend and lighten the text without becoming disrespectful. This is a useful tool and a complement to the many picture books that provide a fictional approach to the subject. m.v.k. Lori Marie Carlson, Editor Barrio Streets Carnival Dreams: Three Generations of Latino Artistry (Older) H Joanna Cole with Wendy Saul On the Bus with Joanna Cole: A Creative Autobiography H David McPhail In Flight with David McPhail: A Creative Autobiography (Younger, Intermediate) Illustrated with photographs and reproductions. Part of the Creative Sparks series, these books are distinctive for their attractiveness, accessibility, and clear focus. Limited as a source of biographical information - neither book gives any indication of the author's birthplace or birthdate and little about family or other interests - these are, rather, engaging records of the creators at their work. David McPhail paints in his studio, but he writes at the local coffee shop or the public library or stops by the side of the road when he is out driving. When Joanna Cole is interested in something, she'll find what books she can on the subject, crawl into bed with her dog Muffy and a box of crackers, and read leisurely until questions begin to formulate. In addition to learning about their methods and tools and their working relations with co-authors, illustrators, and editors, readers will also get the inside scoop on some of these authors' best-known characters. We learn, for example, the identity of the real Ms. Frizzle. Both books are visually inviting and amply illustrated with photographs, sketches, writing samples from early drafts, and artwork from their many books. These are superior and inspirational titles, for a slightly older audience than the books in Owen's Meet the Author series. (see Ehlert, p. 613) n.v. Barbara Cooney, Author-Illustrator Eleanor g (Picture Book) Anna Eleanor was a disappointment to her mother from the moment she was born. Not only was she "red and wrinkled, an ugly little thing . . . she was not a boy." To Eleanor's shame, her mother refers to her, an awkward, self-conscious child, as "Granny." A straightforward narrative detailing the story of Eleanor Roosevelt's life from her unhappy childhood through her British boarding-school years (an experience that "opened the world" for Eleanor) includes factual detail to engage the reader. Illustrations use a palette of reds and deep pinks to reflect Eleanor's growth in self-confidence, moving from cool tones to rich hues over time. Stark, vertical lines, particularly evident in facial expressions, provide a striking contrast of emotional severity with the portrait of privilege in Eleanor's world. Primary resources were consulted to craft this deceptively simple-looking glimpse of Eleanor Roosevelt's early life. m.b.s. Julie Cummins The Inside-Outside Book of Libraries (Picture Book) Illustrated by Roxie Munro. Where titles such as Jaspersohn's My Hometown Library (Houghton) or Gibbons's Check It Out!: The Book about Libraries (Harcourt) highlight the fun and functions of a typical library, or of libraries in general, Cummins and Munro are more interested in giving us the spectrum - a branch library of New York City, a library on an aircraft carrier, the library in Folsom State Prison, a tool-lending program of the Berkeley Public Library. As with Munro's previous Inside-Outside books, a spread of the outside of the building is followed by another of an interior scene, a pattern Cummins generally follows in her sensible accompanying text, moving from the big picture to finer detail. Likewise, the pictures generally move from architectural interest (a wintry rendering of the facade of the Explorers Club) to informational detail (the maps and globes of the cozy-looking Sir Edmund Hillary Map Room), and, in introducing the Internet, one pair challenges the whole conceit. Useful for extending bibliographic instruction, and a "wish book" for both young librarians-in-waiting and their restlessly employed elders. r.s. Demi, Author-Illustrator Buddha (Picture Book) Demi recounts the life of the Buddha in a fluid narrative divided into two parts. The first part begins with the birth and privileged upbringing of a young Indian prince, Siddhartha, whose opulent life protected him from verities such as old age, sickness, and death. However, when Siddhartha grew older and encountered death for the first time, he despaired; he then resolved to renounce all in order to seek the Truth of life over death. After many years Siddhartha's quest eventually led him to enlightenment, meaning that he became a Buddha, or "one who has awakened." The second part of the narrative, which follows the mature Siddhartha during his forty-five years teaching the Dharma, includes personal stories about the Buddha and basic Buddhist teachings such as the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path to enlightenment. The clarity of Demi's measured prose is reflected in the elegant ink drawings and restrained watercolors that accompany the text. This notable achievement is not only a highly readable account of the Buddha's life but is also a thoughtful introduction to Buddhism. stephen dawson Barry Denenberg An American Hero: The True Story of Charles A. Lindbergh (Intermediate) With a decided emphasis on "true," the author shows the reader a complicated figure who emerges as egocentric, quirky, opinionated, unpopular for his connection to the Nazis, and yet idolized by many. The text includes gripping descriptions of events, succinct descriptions of more mundane issues, and sufficient depth to provide a true flesh-and-blood portrait. The transatlantic flight is reported firsthand, hour by hour, using excerpts from Lindbergh's The Spirit of St. Louis. The ebb and flow of the hero's popularity, his relationship with his wife and children, his relationship to the developing airline industries, and his remarkable travels are all mentioned; an extensive section covers the Lindbergh baby kidnapping, investigation, and trial. Reproduction of the vintage photographs, unfortunately, tends toward the muddy. Source notes are provided for each chapter; there is also a bibliography. e.s.w. Lois Ehlert Under My Nose Illustrated with photographs by Carlo Ontal. Ruth Heller Fine Lines Illustrated with photographs by Michael Emery. George Ella Lyon A Wordful Child (Younger) Illustrated with photographs by Ann Olson. These succinct, easy-to-read autobiographies continue to provide unremittingly cheery yet distinctive accounts of the lives of popular children's books authors. While these most recent additions to Owen's Meet the Author series highlight the writing and bookmaking process, the authors' descriptions of the routines they have developed to spark their own creative fires differ widely, underscoring the highly individualistic nature of the creative process. All three satisfactorily answer that often-repeated question, "Where do you get your ideas?" George Ella Lyon concentrates more on her childhood, while Ehlert and Heller, who are primarily artists, include several sketches and early drafts of their published works. The photo-essays show the authors as children, at home with their families, and busy at their work. Breezy and attractive, these books will appeal to browsers as well as to novice report writers. n.v. Dennis Brindell Fradin "We Have Conquered Pain": The Discovery of Anesthesia (Intermediate) Illustrated with black-and-white reproductions. Imagine having major surgery while you lie strapped to a gurney, aware of every second of agony. Then imagine the relief of hearing the announcement that, now, you can avoid that horror by sleeping through the operation, because a doctor has perfected a medical breakthrough called anesthesia. Actually, four doctors have made this discovery within the same time-frame. Who should receive credit? Fradin investigates the four leading candidates - Horace Wells, Charles Jackson, Crawford Long, and William Morton - and their contributions, concluding that some credit belongs to each man. The experiments that each conducted are detailed, and their riskiness is clearly evident. The book is illustrated with carefully credited vintage photographs and drawings that are adequately reproduced, although in some cases they are rather dark. Bibliography and index. e.s.w. H Russell Freedman The Life and Death of Crazy Horse (Intermediate) Illustrated with pictographs by Amos Bad Heart Bull. Impeccable in every detail, this riveting account of the life of the great Sioux warrior can only enhance the author's reputation as a leading source of excellent nonfiction books for children. Background information on the Plains Indians and the impact the westward migration of the European settlers had on these tribes during the mid-1800s is seamlessly interspersed into the narrative. With eyewitness accounts and documented quotes, Freedman paints a portrait of a shy, observant youngster, called "The Strange One" and "Curly" by the members of his tribe for his solitary ways and unusual appearance. Unlike the typical warrior, Crazy Horse never bragged about his exploits but nevertheless gained the respect of his fellows for his bravery and wisdom in battle and for his generous nature. There is romance and deceit in the story of his courtship of Black Buffalo Woman, and instances of unbridled brutality in the accounts of warfare, especially at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. The book is illustrated with dramatic pictographs created by a tribal historian who was also a cousin of Crazy Horse (an explanatory note provides information on these "picture histories" that recorded important events in a tribe's past). Also included is a chronology of events, a bibliography, and a list of the "main characters." n.v. Mavis Jukes It's a Girl Thing: How to Stay Healthy, Safe, and in Charge (Intermediate) In the late 1950s eleven-year-old Mavis Jukes belonged to the Ladies' Business Club with one other member, her mother. "The club rules were these: I could come into the bathroom when my mom was bathing or going to the bathroom - but she couldn't when I was." Jukes now applies these same rules to It's a Girl Thing: she writes openly and candidly about female development and sexuality while respecting her adolescent readers' sensitivities and sensibilities. After providing straightforward, matter-of-fact information about breasts, bras, and menstruation, Jukes reassures, "You will still be a girl for a long time after you start your period. . . . And your family will still love you in the same old way." She later confides, "I think I was about fifteen when I discovered tampons and tried to put one in. . . . Ouch! I poked and pushed, then gave up; it hurt too much!" Such confidences lend the spontaneity of girl-talk to this informative book, which nevertheless does not shy away from the dangers associated with contemporary adolescent sexuality. Unplanned pregnancies, sexual harassment, rape, and STDs are addressed with unmitigated frankness that will leave girls informed and in charge. Suggestions for further reading as well as a number of crises hotlines are included. Index. marilyn bousquin Gloria Kamen, Author-Illustrator Hidden Music: The Life of Fanny Mendelssohn (Intermediate) A biography needs a theme around which facts are placed like electrons around the nucleus of an atom. Such a theme may also manifest the biographer's particular perspective, as in this sympathetic portrait of Fanny Mendelssohn, a talented pianist and composer who was never accorded the recognition given her younger brother, Felix. By unveiling this obscure virtuoso, Kamen contributes to women's history and to an appreciation of the gallant efforts they made to overcome traditional barriers. Through numerous quotations from Mendelssohn family letters, she creates a sense of intimacy as she describes the social milieu into which Fanny was born and which determined her future. The daughter of a wealthy, cultured Jewish family who became Christians because of anti-Semitic attitudes in their native Germany, she was given a well-rounded education suited to her status. Her mother, a talented pianist, was her first music teacher; later, Felix joined her in these informal lessons. Both progressed at a remarkable pace, but he was encouraged to perform and to travel abroad while she was restricted to participating in private concerts. Kamen's selection of details are telling, conveying a feeling of frustration bordering on tragedy. An epilogue relates Fanny's story to the larger question of women's place in the world of music by outlining the accomplishments of later pioneers such as Nadia Boulanger, Sarah Caldwell, and Wanda Landowska. With a glossary of musical terms, bibliography, and index. m.m.b. Steven Kroll Pony Express! (Younger) Illustrated by Dan Andreasen. "Wanted: Young skinny wiry fellows not over eighteen. Must be expert riders willing to risk death daily. Orphans preferred." Steven Kroll sketches a short informative account of the legendary mail delivery system created to speed news across the country in the wake of western gold and silver discoveries. Bracketed by introductory and concluding discussions summarizing the history of postal service in the United States, the heart of the book tells of the first running, in April 1860, of the ten-day route from St. Joseph, Missouri, to Sacramento and also includes highlights of the brief history of the Pony Express. Set on textured tan paper framed in woodgrain, the single pages of text are nicely augmented by realistic, occasionally over-literal, oil paintings of riders and of the rigors of the journey. Concluding notes include historical photographs, a map naming many of the relay stations, a diverse bibliography, and an index. m.a.b. Kathleen Krull Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman (Younger) Illustrated by David Diaz. An inspiring picture book tells the story of the indomitable Wilma Rudolph, who, although she weighed only a little more than four pounds when she was born and contracted polio when she was five, went on to become the first American woman to win three gold medals at a single Olympics. The book's design is similar to that of the Caldecott medalist's Smoky Night, in that brightly colored acrylic, watercolor, and gouache paintings are placed against equally dynamic sepia-toned photographic backgrounds, creating juxtapositions that thoughtfully extend both the text (which is in an unfortunately distracting typeface) and the pictures in the foreground. Diaz creates illustrations of Rudolph that artfully capture her physical and emotional determination as well as the beauty of her body in motion. Krull's understated, well-paced conversational style is perfectly suited to tell Rudolph's remarkable life story. (An author's note provides information on the athlete's later life.) A winning biography that highlights perseverance and true heroic courage. ellen fader Mary D. Lankford Jacks around the World g (Younger) Illustrated by Karen Dugan. The author and illustrator of Hopscotch around the World have again created an inviting, multicultural offering, here offering overviews of and instructions for fourteen variations of the game of jacks from around the world. In a brief introduction Lankford explains that jacks is just one modification of an ancient game in which a player tosses a ball or a stone into the air with one hand while trying to pick up various small objects - pieces of bone, seeds, pebbles, etc. - with the other. Each double-page spread includes detailed instructions for a version of the game and some brief background information about the particular region or customs. The subject is manageable, and the presentation encourages readers to try each new version. A map locates the country in which each game originates (countries include Brazil, Zimbabwe, Tibet, the United States, and New Zealand). Instructions for making knucklebones, a bibliography of the author's sources, and an index complete the useful resource. m.v.k. Patricia Lauber Hurricanes: Earth's Mightiest Storms (Intermediate) Illustrated with photographs, diagrams, and maps. This veteran science writer is smart enough to know that her book's many dramatic photos of windbeaten landscapes will take charge from the start; rather than trying to compete, her text works quietly to give the facts behind the theater. The text offers blow-by-blow descriptions of two major storms (the 1938 hurricane that ravaged Long Island and New England, and 1992's Hurricane Andrew), neatly splicing information about meteorology and ecological consequences in between photos of devastation (the diagrams and maps aren't so exciting, but they are helpful). Index and suggestions for further reading. r.s. Patricia Lauber You're Aboard Spaceship Earth (Younger) Illustrated by Holly Keller. Space shuttle crews have on board "all the things they need to stay alive and healthy" - and so it is with all the people who are rocketing through space on that larger ship, the planet Earth. In her simple analogy, the author identifies three basic ingredients needed to sustain life on Earth: food, water, and oxygen. The most intriguing aspect of this matrix is the eternal recycling of these elements through atmospheric conditions and interactions among plants and animals. "The streams flow into rivers. And the rivers flow back into the oceans. . . . Some of the rain that falls on you probably fell on the dinosaurs." Lauber's clear explanations of these large ideas and Holly Keller's characteristic childlike scenes make an exemplary science lesson that readily engages the reader. Incorporating a simple reminder that people must find ways to maintain the health of the planet, this cheerful discourse will find a wide array of readers and teaching uses. Enjoyable and thought-provoking. m.a.b. David Lavender Snowbound: The Tragic Story of the Donner Party (Intermediate) Illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Were they possessed by a dream? Or just plain foolish? Jacob and George Donner, prosperous farmers from Springfield, Illinois, were well on in years when they decided to sell what they owned and take their families on the ill-fated wagon journey to California in 1846. David Lavender explores the evidence that the group of adventurers were misled by a charlatan book author who claimed existence of a more direct route than the longer, more heavily traveled Oregon Trail. The chronological account explains preparations for the journey, the disputes over routes, and the assorted hardships endured by the nearly ninety people who traveled most of the way together. Lavender doesn't flinch from including the legendary cannibalism, but he also points out that the acts of despair were matched by heroism. Evenhanded and a bit probing, this is a fascinating account of the human cost in opening the West. The large cast of participants and the complexities of decision making, disaster, and rescue during the lengthy trek are well explained but also somewhat overwhelming; a chronology and a list of the individuals would have been extremely useful. Bibliography, maps, and index. m.a.b. Steven C. Levi Cowboys of the Sky: The Story of Alaska's Bush Pilots (Intermediate) Illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Have you ever heard of a pilot transporting a corpse on the wing of his plane? Or strapping the witness of a murder in the murderer's lap to save cabin space? Or how about a pilot who is bitten by his own dentures right in the seat of his pants? This engrossing account of Alaska's "cowboys of the sky" frames these incidents within their historic context and illuminates the resourceful sensibility that informed these 1920s and thirties pilots' unorthodox ways. The sole link between bush communities and the outside world, early pilots made their own rules for delivering mail and other goods based on ruthless weather conditions, crude technology, no money, and a love of flying. Levy details the subduing effects WWII, FAA regulations, modern technology, and a growing economy had on pilot's ambitions and livelihoods. And though he concludes with the much tamer (though no less essential) role bush pilots assume in the aviation industry today, this book reads like a tour-guided flight through the history of America's Last Frontier with the 1920s bush pilot Harold Gillam, nicknamed "Thrill 'Em, Chill 'Em, Spill 'Em, But No Kill 'Em." Glossary, bibliography, and index. marilyn bousquin Sue Macy Winning Ways: A Photohistory of American Women in Sports (Intermediate, Older) Illustrated with black-and-white photographs. "Whether they swam the English Channel, sprinted into the record books, or hit home runs for the war effort, they acted on their need to test their limits, feel strong and comfortable in their bodies, and compete." Beginning with an examination of the limited sports opportunities for women during the nineteenth century, Sue Macy's chronological account surveys the achievements of individual players and teams that have paved the way for women in the uphill battle for athletic recognition. Though Macy admits to being inspired by a photograph and liberally laces her text with an interesting array of captioned pictures, the term photohistory is a misnomer here. This is skilled writing by an author who clearly enjoys her subject, considering it widely both as sports history and as an integral facet of the evolving sphere of women in the United States. Among themes recurring through each of her chosen periods are the parallel and unequal tracks of white and black athletes, the amount and tone of media coverage of women's sports, the development of college and professional sports for women, homophobia, and changing views of femininity. Above all, it's a fine tribute and introduction to an impressive array of athletes, including now-forgotten daredevils of the early twentieth century. The photographs are a bit gray, but the colorized jacket views, front and rear, of a 1930s woman flexing her biceps at the beach are fun. The annotated chronology and bibliography are exceptionally informative. Index. m.a.b. Albert Marrin Plains Warrior: Chief Quanah Parker and the Comanches (Intermediate, Older) Illustrated with map and black-and-white photographs. More than a biography of a leader, this is also the story of a people, the land they considered their own, and their eventual defeat as the United States expanded westward. A prologue outlines the content of six succeeding chapters that present the story of Quanah Parker's birth to a white woman wedded to one of her Comanche captors, his emergence as a skilled leader in battle, and his role after hostilities had ceased. Included in this introductory material is an important observation: "Much of the history of the American West is, and must forever remain, one-sided . . . Indians did not have a written language. . . . Thus, the history we have is essentially the conqueror's story, seen through their eyes and told with their pens." Marrin does take care to indicate the major differences between the Comanche and the white points of view and the tragedy inherent in those differences. As told here, the story is often one of bloody brutality from whites and Indians alike, and Marrin's vivid writing occasionally strays into sensationalism. The repeated use of the word squaw is a disturbing element. Expected in quotes from the period, it is jarring in a present-day account, particularly as the term has acquired pejorative overtones. These aspects, avoided in Russell Freedman's brief biography of Quanah Parker in Indian Chiefs (Clarion), detract from otherwise absorbing descriptions of the landscape and from accounts of the introduction of the horse in the sixteenth century and its later significance, the white-dominated attitude of the United States government, and the specific events that propelled Parker into a memorable historical figure - leader in war and peace, friend of presidents, successful businessman. Source notes, bibliography, and index. m.m.b. Carolyn Meyer In a Different Light: Growing Up in a Yup'ik Eskimo Village in Alaska (Older) Preparations for the frozen months of winter introduce this absorbing year-long visit to families who are "part of the United States and yet isolated from it by geography and climate, by language and culture, and by history and experience." David Koonuk, thirteen, and his sister Adeline are the children of the young people Carolyn Meyer introduced in 1977 in Eskimos: Growing Up in a Changing Culture (McElderry). Though the individuals and their village of Chaputnguak are fictional, they are representative of an actual culture and based on extensive personal observation. Meyer's story approach becomes a skillfully crafted vehicle for conveying cultural detail and thoughtful commentary on the loss of traditional life and the social problems created as modern American ways intrude on the many remote Alaskan villages. The month-by-month account of school, work, celebration, and leave taking is empathetic and probing. Poverty, alcohol abuse, and shifting sexual mores are explained honestly, as are the personal respect and responsibilities binding extended families. The book is attractive, though the photographs, useful in content, are dull in reproduction. A map would have been useful in depicting locations of the many real places cited - in spite of possible confusion over the fictionalized site. The multifaceted view of Yup'ik life is engaging and honest, even a bit painful. Bibliography, glossary, and index. m.a.b. Jim Murphy A Young Patriot: The American Revolution as Experienced by One Boy g (Intermediate) Illustrated with reproductions. Joseph Plumb Martin enlisted in the Connecticut militia in 1776 as a sixteen-year-old. Using Martin's first-person account of his participation in the Revolutionary War as his primary source, Murphy tells the story of one teenager's life as a soldier. Murphy weaves Martin's story into a broader tale, giving background about the causes of the Revolution and providing an account of the unfolding of the war, the significant battles, and the war's end. As he has in previous books, the author shows a talent for choosing and explicating details that make history both personal and fascinating. The description of the winter at Valley Forge includes the fact that the soldiers were too tired and hungry even to build themselves shelter from the cold; Washington had to bribe the soldiers by offering a prize of twelve dollars to the group who finished building a hut first. The informative text is peppered with quotations and illustrated with many period reproductions, maps, and diagrams. These, in conjunction with a chronology of the American Revolution and an extensive bibliography, complete Murphy's intriguing account. m.v.k. Ifeoma Onyefulu, Author-Photographer Ogbo: Sharing Life in an African Village (Picture Book) Through brilliant photographs and a clear, precise text, the author introduces the reader to the ancient Nigerian tradition of the ogbo, or village-wide age group, in which every child is linked with others in the same age group throughout his or her lifetime. These groups play together, participate in rituals and ceremonies, and together contribute their skills to the village. The six-year-old narrator, Obioma, describes her ogbo and the special activities and relationships they share. Obioma also explains the ways in which her family members participate in their own ogbos. The author of A Is for Africa (Harcourt) has created a striking picture book valuable both for the unique information about Nigerian culture and for the more general lesson in the meaning of community. m.v.k. Catherine Reef John Steinbeck (Intermediate) Illustrated with photographs. Although most celebrated for his novel The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck's remarkably diverse body of work also included nonfiction and screenplays. That he constantly challenged himself by experimenting with new ideas and new forms is a recurring theme in this portrait of the man whose writings reflected significant American social and political concerns, from the Great Depression to Vietnam. In the thirties he was considered radical; in the sixties, many found him conservative. What Reef attempts to clarify is the sense of compassion which infused his vision and illuminated his work. Intermingling commentary on historical events with biographical details and pertinent quotes from Steinbeck's writings, the book presents the subject as a part of the era in which he lived, a concept extended in numerous photographs of varying relevance. Primary emphasis is placed on the relationship between Steinbeck's experiences and his work; the description of his initial struggles for recognition indicate a remarkable sense of mission and self-discipline. An inviting format and nonthreatening style make this an accessible introduction to a significant literary figure. Unfortunately, the documentation is somewhat sporadic, so that the source of direct quotations is not always clear. With a list of Steinbeck's books, selected bibliography, picture credits, and index. m.m.b. Seymour Simon The Heart: Our Circulatory System (Younger) In The Heart Simon presents as clear and thorough a look at the human circulatory system as he has at so many other subjects. With the aid of computer-enhanced photographs taken with an electron microscope, Simon explains the system of blood vessels, the role of blood, lungs, and the heart, and a few of the problems which can develop in the circulatory system. At times he uses familiar references to make a point, explaining, for example, that the heart weighs only "about ten ounces, about as much as one of your sneakers." The text, layout, diagrams, and photographs work together to make an eye-catching and useful book. m.v.k. Jerry Stanley Big Annie of Calumet: A True Story of the Industrial Revolution (Intermediate) Illustrated with photographs. Women played a key role in the 1913 Michigan copper miners' strike, urging their men on by marching in their best white Sunday dresses or by wielding brooms "dipped in filth" to beat back strikebreakers and the militia. Stanley's lively account of the strike sheds light on the early days of the labor movement, when the population of the United States tripled as thirty-three million immigrants came from all parts of the world. Relying heavily on primary sources, the book contains chapters on the background of the Industrial Revolution, the settling of Michigan's Keweenaw Peninsula in the country's first great mining boom, the development and mechanization of the copper industry, and the deplorable working conditions of the miners. The title, in fact, is misleading since the book is well into its third chapter before Annie Clemenc plays any part. A tall, imposing woman, she led daily marches during the strike while carrying a massive American flag, thereby helping bring the attention of the press and the world to the plight of the miners. While a detailed bibliographic note testifies to the scholarship that went into this compelling narrative, a number of unattributed quotes appear throughout the text. This is unfortunate, since many of the remarks are as incendiary as those of the unnamed manufacturer who said, "I regard my employees as I do a machine, to be used to my advantage, and when they are old and of no further use, I cast them into the street." Index. n.v. Of Interest to Adults Michael Cart From Romance to Realism: 50 Years of Growth and Change in Young Adult Literature Even more ambiguous a notion than young adult is the term young adult literature, as the author implies in this very readable exposition of the field during the past half-century. Concentrating on the novel in America, he begins with the publication in the mid-thirties of Sue Barton, "one of the most popular books in the history of young adult literature" and continues through the decades to the present state of the art. In consecutive chapters he describes the impact S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders had on the direction of realistic fiction in the sixties; he discusses the importance of the seventies with its explosion of new writers like M. E. Kerr, Richard Peck, Rosa Guy, William Sleator, Judy Blume, and Robert Cormier, whose Chocolate War Cart calls "arguably the single most important title in the history of young adult literature to date." He continues in his overview through the advent of the young adult paperback and genre fiction, mass marketing, and the effect of the large chain stores on publishing and the current status of the literature, which he fears is at risk. He argues that at a time when young adults are greatly at risk themselves, the need for a literature that describes their world honestly, thereby enabling them to change it, is needed more than ever. Cart's opinions may be controversial, but his critiques are carefully laid out. He writes with insight and originality (if sometimes a bit glibly), and he touches upon all the major authors and titles. An excellent introduction to the field for the general audience and for students as well. n.v. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
``From the beginning the baby was a disappointment to her mother,'' Cooney (The Story of Christmas, 1995, etc.) begins in this biography of Eleanor Roosevelt. She is a plain child, timid and serious; it is clear that only a few people loved her. After her parents die, she is cared for in the luxurious homes of wealthy relatives, but does not find acceptance until she arrives in a British boarding school, where she thrives on the attention of the headmistress, who guides, teaches, and inspires her. Cooney does not gloss over the girl's misery and disappointments; she also shows the rare happy times and sows the seeds of Eleanor's future work. The illustrations of house interiors often depict Eleanor as an isolated, lonely figure, her indistinct face and hollow eyes watching from a distance the human interactions she does not yet enjoy. Paintings reveal the action of a steamship collision; the hectic activity of a park full of children and their governesses; a night full of stars portending the girl's luminous future. The image of plain Eleanor being fitted with her first beautiful dress is an indelible one. Readers will be moved by the unfairness of her early life and rejoice when she finds her place in the world. An author's note supplies other relevant information. (Picture book/biography. 5-9)
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