Ample black-and-white photos, document reproductions, and maps as well as fine aftermatter make this a good addition to...
The story of the great flood of 1913, forgotten by many, from the residents of the city it hit hardest.
Archaeologist and children’s author Huey learned of the 1913 storm and its trail of destruction from the upper Midwest to New England from markings in an old factory in New York. After a bit of research, she found that one city, Dayton, Ohio, was a symbol of the disaster to the whole nation at the time…and yet the modern general public knows little of Dayton’s trial by flood and fire. Continuing her research in Dayton, Huey discovered first-person accounts of the disaster and presents them in a narrative timeline. In the mingled voices of John Patterson, wealthy owner of National Cash Register, Orville and Katharine Wright, and librarian Mary Althoff, among other survivors, the story of the disaster plays out over three days in short sections devoted to each. Hobbled by a lack of information from Dayton’s poorer (and largely African-American) west side, Huey includes the heroic story of black baseball player Bill Sloan, who saved 300 from the rising waters in a commandeered canoe. A spot or two of confusing prose doesn’t mar this exciting account of the little-known disaster that helped spawn the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Ample black-and-white photos, document reproductions, and maps as well as fine aftermatter make this a good addition to historical collections anywhere. (Nonfiction. 8-14)Pub Date: April 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4677-9432-9
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.
Through the author’s own childhood diary entries, a seventh grader details her inner life before and after 9/11.
Alyssa’s diary entries start in September 2000, in the first week of her seventh grade year. She’s 11 and dealing with typical preteen concerns—popularity and anxiety about grades—along with other things more particular to her own life. She’s shuffling between Queens and Manhattan to share time between her divorced parents and struggling with thick facial hair and classmates who make her feel like she’s “not a whole person” due to her mixed White and Puerto Rican heritage. Alyssa is endlessly earnest and awkward as she works up the courage to talk to her crush, Alejandro; gushes about her dreams of becoming a shoe designer; and tries to solve her burgeoning unibrow problem. The diaries also have a darker side, as a sense of impending doom builds as the entries approach 9/11, especially because Alyssa’s father works in finance in the World Trade Center. As a number of the diary entries are taken directly from the author’s originals, they effortlessly capture the loud, confusing feelings middle school brings out. The artwork, in its muted but effective periwinkle tones, lends a satisfying layer to the diary’s accessible and delightful format.
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 8-13)Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-77427-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information.
Two youngsters embark on a journey peppered with history, trivia, and skits while teaching money lessons.
Meet Mellody and John, the young stars of this currency showcase. Their very first dialogue offers a taste of the intriguing information to come, from the ancient Mayans’ use of cacao beans as payment to the origins of the piggy bank. The book offers a chronologically and geographically broad timeline of the history of money, encompassing the past 3.9 billion years (starting with meteorite crashes that scattered metals—“the very first bank deposit”) and referencing practices across five continents. Readers will find themselves eagerly sharing the facts gleaned here, including the centuries-old origins of terms and expressions still used today. Mellody and John’s fun banter crucially reflects their experiences with money, such as their families’ differing attitudes toward allowances. Both are savers as well as givers, sharing stories about giving to charity. In one especially entertaining section, a cat and a bunny converse in money-related catchphrases that are separately defined at the bottom of each page. Stevens’ watercolors are appropriately realistic and appealing, whether depicting Mellody’s pretend bank or Elizabeth II’s butler ironing a 10-pound note. Messages about money’s use as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself, ensure that readers will think about their own purposes for their savings. Mellody and John are Black.
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781536224719
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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