Handsome, well-executed history for a young audience.
The peculiar enmity between founding fathers Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton culminated in an infamous duel.
Brown takes a broad, evenhanded, and pared-down look at the lives of Burr and Hamilton. Both were orphaned as children, both were slender, bright, and determined. After serving in the Revolutionary War, they became lawyers—even occasional colleagues—and developed political passions. They look similar in the quick strokes of Brown’s pen-and-wash illustrations: in gray coats and white cravats, their foreheads high and faces narrow. Panels and dialogue balloons create motion to match the brief, informative narrative. The irascible Hamilton frequently insulted Burr during Burr’s 1800 presidential bid against Jefferson. When, in 1804, Burr ran for governor of New York, Hamilton struck an intolerable blow. Hamilton scowls, pen in hand, as the word “Despicable” appears in a thought balloon above his head. On the page opposite, Burr grimaces as he reads the word aloud, and it appears above his own head. This illustration is evoked at the climax, in which two hands holding pistols face off across the opening, smoke and blood-red fire spitting from the barrels, the word “BANG!” below each. The final page sums up the result for Burr, the survivor: regret and lost reputation. An author’s note for older readers adds texture; the bibliography is adult-directed.
Handsome, well-executed history for a young audience. (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-59643-998-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
Absolutely wonderful in every way.
A long-forgotten chapter in New York City history is brilliantly illuminated.
In mid-19th-century New York, horses and horse-drawn vehicles were the only means of transportation, and the din created by wheels as they rumbled on the cobblestones was deafening. The congestion at intersections threatened the lives of drivers and pedestrians alike. Many solutions were bandied about, but nothing was ever done. Enter Alfred Ely Beach, an admirer of “newfangled notions.” Working in secret, he created an underground train powered by an enormous fan in a pneumatic tube. He built a tunnel lined with brick and concrete and a sumptuously decorated waiting room for passenger comfort. It brought a curious public rushing to use it and became a great though short-lived success, ending when the corrupt politician Boss Tweed used his influence to kill the whole project. Here is science, history, suspense, secrecy, and skulduggery in action. Corey’s narrative is brisk, chatty, and highly descriptive, vividly presenting all the salient facts and making the events accessible and fascinating to modern readers. The incredibly inventive multimedia illustrations match the text perfectly and add detail, dimension, and pizazz. Located on the inside of the book jacket is a step-by-step guide to the creative process behind these remarkable illustrations.
Absolutely wonderful in every way. (author’s note, bibliography, Web resources) (Informational picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-375-87071-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
An emotional entry point to a larger, necessary discussion on this complex and difficult subject.
The paths of four migrant children from different Central American countries cross as they enter Mexico, and together they continue their journey to the United States.
Though their reasons for undertaking the perilous journey are different, their hopes are not: They all hope for asylum in the U.S. Ten-year-old Alessandra, from Guatemala, hopes to reunite with her mother, who left four years ago. Thirteen-year-old Laura and her 7-year-old brother, Nando, from El Salvador, are going to live with relatives in the U.S. And 14-year-old Rodrigo, from Honduras, will try to join his parents in Nebraska rather than join a local gang. Along the way they encounter danger, hunger, kindness from strangers, and, most importantly, the strength of friendship with one another. Through the four children, the book provides but the barest glimpse into the reasons, hopes, and dreams of the thousands of unaccompanied minors that arrive at the U.S.–Mexico border every year. Artist Guevara has added Central American folk art–influenced details to her illustrations, giving depth to the artwork. These embellishments appear as line drawings superimposed on the watercolor scenes. The backmatter explains the reasons for the book, helping to place it within the larger context of ongoing projects at Baylor University related to the migration crisis in Central America.
An emotional entry point to a larger, necessary discussion on this complex and difficult subject. (Picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64442-008-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Six Foot Press
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
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