Calkins Creek

Picture Book Review – Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World

RACHEL CARSON’S WONDER-FILLED WORLD

How the Scientist, Writer, and Nature Lover
Changed the Environmental Movement

Written by Kate Hannigan

Illustrated by Katie Hickey

(Calkins Creek; $18.99; Ages 7-10)

 

 

 

Rachel Carson's Wonder-Filled World cover Rachel typing surrounded by nature.

 

 

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

“This STEAM picture book biography highlights how scientist and writer Rachel
Carson became the author of the groundbreaking book Silent Spring and the mother of the modern
environmental movement.”

From Kirkus Reviews: “A soaring tribute to the perceptive naturalist and writer who jump-started the
modern environmental movement.”

 

REVIEW:

In the early 1960s, author and environmentalist Rachel Carson spurred readers to action in her book Silent Spring, which called out the deadliness of DDT and similar chemicals. But before writing that bestseller, Rachel loved exploring the outdoors with all her senses.

She shared her awe of the natural world through poetry and magazine stories before studying science in college. Though Carson did not finish school, she began writing for the Bureau of Fisheries, combining her poet’s eye with the science she learned in college.

 

 

Rachel Carson int1 nature is a fairyland.
Interior spread from Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World, written by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Katie Hickey, Calkins Creek ©2025.

 

 

In time, Carson began publishing books about the wonders of the natural world and sharing that love with her nephew. But after World War II, Carson’s wonder turned to worry. The suburban housing boom led to the loss of forests, and urbanization meant fewer people growing their own food. Farmers turned to chemical herbicides and pesticides to boost production. But were such chemicals safe for wildflowers, animals, and humans?

 

 

Rachel Carson int2 Rachel finds work writing radio scripts for the Bureau of Fisheries.
Interior spread from Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World, written by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Katie Hickey, Calkins Creek ©2025.

 

 

Again, Carson turned to her writing—this time with a warning for readers. And though she lived to see her book published, she would not live to see its impact. Because of Silent Spring, the US government ordered a review of pesticide policy, which ultimately led to the banning of some chemicals. And it inspired other efforts to protect the Earth, including Earth Day, which we continue to celebrate to this day.

 

 

Rachel Carson int3 Rachel and Roger nature is fragile.
Interior spread from Rachel Carson’s Wonder-Filled World, written by Kate Hannigan and illustrated by Katie Hickey, Calkins Creek ©2025.

 

I recommend this beautifully illustrated nonfiction biography by Kate Hannigan and Katie Hickey, which honors the “mother of the environmental movement.” Sprinkled with Carson’s own words, this book encourages readers to experience nature as Rachel Carson did—with each of their senses—while Hickey’s layered art effectively showcases the color and wonder of nature. A timely and important read for a new generation of caretakers for our planet.
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  • Reviewed by Roxanne Troup

 

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Three Picture Books for Women’s History Month

 

 

THREE PICTURE BOOKS
FOR WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

∼A ROUNDUP∼

 

women's history month clip art

 

 

 

Unshakable Eleanor cover Eleanor Roosevelt giving speech.UNSHAKABLE ELEANOR
Written by Michelle Markel
Illustrated by Alejandro Mesa
(Balzer + Bray; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

I felt the author’s admiration for our former First Lady, Eleanor Roosevelt, from the very first page of this timely, well-written biography. As the longest-serving First Lady, Roosevelt’s human rights impact was unmatched. This picture book details how Roosevelt’s powerful voice and popularity grew throughout her lifetime, leaving an impressive legacy of leadership that has profoundly impacted the role of first lady.

But, Eleanor wasn’t always outspoken. As a child growing up an orphan in New York, Eleanor is described by Markel as shy. “She’s been told she’s homely and made to feel like a failure.” Not exactly confidence-building. Yet this persevering young girl found love and encouragement in the letters from her late father. She clearly was well-to-do since the Roosevelt name carried clout and connections. We also learn she was sent to “finishing school” overseas. Eleanor came into her own during this period, already eager to help poor immigrants. Throughout the book, Mesa’s illustrations do a terrific job of conveying emotion and atmosphere.  Young readers may not know that Eleanor was a distant cousin of Franklin Delano Roosevelt and that their eventual marriage proved to be a powerful combination. While FDR focused on politics, Eleanor focused on unfair practices from child labor and unsafe factory conditions. Her work as a reformer was just getting started.

When she became First Lady, the country was in the throes of the Great Depression. In her new role, Eleanor brought women’s issues to the fore and even persuaded FDR to appoint women to high ranking positions. But she didn’t stop there. She helped people fight poverty and starvation as she traveled across the USA. She got involved in the struggles of Black Americans against “white lynch mobs” and worked tirelessly to help them be treated as equals. And while she faced a lot of pushback and bad press, she never let it deter her. “Every small victory makes a difference.” Eleanor always managed to keep those in need of justice on her radar, so it seemed fitting when the newly formed United Nations invited her to “lead a committee on the rights and freedoms of all human beings.” This Universal Declaration of Human Rights still exists. With a career as long and as storied as Eleanor Roosevelt’s was, Markel manages to keep to her theme and provide many jumping off points for further research for older readers (and I do think kids as old as 10 would enjoy this book). The highlighted examples reinforce Roosevelt’s vast accomplishments for the younger ones, making her a role model for budding activists. Four fantastic pages of backmatter detail just how much good Eleanor did and include a timeline where I learned the Ku Klux Klan once placed a $25,000 bounty on Eleanor’s head! There’s also a select bibliography, a section about “More About People of Color and Women During the Depression,” one on “People of Color and Women During the New Deal,” and one on “Mary McLeod Bethune, Walter White, and the Roosevelt Administration.” I’m glad to still be learning new things about Eleanor Roosevelt all these years later.

 

 

One Girl's Voice cover Lucy Stone in DC.

ONE GIRL’S VOICE:
How Lucy Stone Helped Change the Law of the Land
Written by Vivian Kirkfield
Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

I hope that reading about the women movers and shakers from the 19th and 20th centuries in this roundup motivates young girls today to continue making their voices heard as Lucy Stone did from a very young age.

Enlightening quotes from this women’s rights advocate are used throughout One Girl’s Voice making Stone’s advocacy that much more meaningful when you consider the era during which she grew up. Kirkfield notes that in 1830, in Massachusetts and across the United States, the law said the voices of girls and women didn’t count. In other words, they should be seen, especially in the kitchen, and not heard, out in public that is. Even Lucy’s father agreed with that sentiment, which caused Lucy no end of anguish.

Lucy was determined to show that women’s voices mattered despite how her father and society felt. She’d earn her own money to pay for books, and then college, but a rude awakening awaited her at Oberlin College. Women were not permitted to speak in the public speaking class! So Lucy met with other women and practiced debating in secret. But they still had to put their newly acquired skills to the test. And though she persuaded her professor to let the women speak in the classroom, when the administration got wind of this, all future debates by women were banned. This blatant lack of equality irked on many levels since Lucy also discovered she was working to pay for college at half the pay her male classmates received. Lucy wrote a letter arguing against this inequity and was rewarded with equal pay. A small but meaningful triumph. After the college invited her to compose a speech for graduation, she learned a male student would deliver the speech so she withdrew. But, soon she was offered a job by the head of the New England Anti-Slavery Society, and that position secured her national reputation as an inspirational orator. “Now all we need is to continue to speak the truth fearlessly, and we shall add to our number those who will turn the scale to the side of equal and full justice in all things.”

The art, rendered in vivid acrylic ink and colored pencil, creates just the right tone for this story of one woman’s unwavering perseverance and gift of persuasion. Stone, allow me the word play, left no stone unturned in her quest for equality for all. She fought for the abolition of slavery as well as suffrage for all regardless of gender or race. She also pushed for the passing of a law that gave married women property rights. And while she wouldn’t live to see women gain the right to vote, it was her powerful and unceasing voice that helped lead the way. Six pages of backmatter contain an Author’s Note, a timeline and a personal fave, “Fun Facts.” It’s here I learned that Lucy Stone kept her married name just like I did. Women who chose to do so back then were referred to as Lucy Stoners!  This is a recommended year-round read that reinforces how important all voices are.

 

 

Hiding in Plain Sight cover Kate Warne Detective Abraham Lincoln.HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT:
Kate Warne and the Race to Save Abraham Lincoln
Written by Beth Anderson
Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Starred review – Booklist

I knew about Kate Warne’s involvement in the famed Pinkerton Detective Agency, but I never knew about the foiled plot to assassinate Lincoln that this picture book covers. Beth Anderson has chosen an episode in history that is not that easy to explain since major logistics were involved for the mission to be a success. Between Anderson’s storytelling and Wern Comport’s mixed-media collage art with maps, old photos, and pencil drawings that evoke a bygone era just a few months before the Civil War, Hiding in Plain Sight weaves a tale of intrigue that kept me turning the page.

The book’s design, with dates and locations on most spreads, makes navigating Lincoln’s thirteen-day train journey from Springfield, Illinois, to his D.C. inauguration full of tension despite knowing he avoids harm. Kids will find Kate Warne’s spying skills rather cool, especially for a 19th-century woman when that kind of career would have been frowned upon. Pretending to be a “Mrs. Barley” she fit in with the Baltimore crowd and learned about the rebel’s plan to kill Lincoln when his train passed through Baltimore, the only way to get to Washington. She alerted Allan Pinkerton, who seemed to already know about the plot. They had to let the future president know his life was in danger. That meant delivering a message to his assistant, Mr. Judd. Now, imagine the pressure Kate was under. She had only a few days to thwart the plot, but she also needed Lincoln’s okay to change his schedule.

When Lincoln “refused to cancel plans,” Kate and Pinkerton had only one other option, which I won’t reveal here. Spies were probably everywhere, and the new plan left no room for error. Here, Anderson keeps the suspense at a fever pitch. Even though I knew Lincoln would be safe, I worried. How would they pull this off when anyone could leak details of this top-secret mission? Well, as history proves, Kate and Pinkerton succeeded, and Lincoln made it to his inauguration in D.C. Phew!! Seven pages of interesting backmatter featuring an Afterword, photos, a Great Western Railroad Time Card, code names, and more add to this picture book’s appeal.

 

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Nonfiction Picture Book Review – Skybound!

SKYBOUND!:
Starring Mary Myers as Carlotta,
Daredevil Aeronaut and Scientist

Written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt

Illustrated by Iacopo Bruno

(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

 

Skybound cover Carlotta nee Mary Hawley Myers aeronaut.

 

 

★Starred Reviews – Kirkus, Foreward

 

I’m always happy to read nonfiction picture book biographies about lesser-known women who did extraordinary things. Mary Myers nee Mary Breed Hawley was one of those women so I’m glad that Sue Ganz-Schmitt and Iacopo Bruno have shined the spotlight on her fascinating story in Skybound. To be honest, I’m surprised that, considering the amazing feats of derring-do that she accomplished, we haven’t heard about her sooner.

 

Skybound int1 balloon madness.
Interior illustrations from Skybound written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Calkins Creek ©2024.

 

Readers meet women in a parlor circa 1850 doing what women were expected to do in the 19th century, “land a husband, have children, and stay tethered to their homes.” Only Mary had other ideas and did not picture herself bound to traditional norms. She dreamed about flying, and found herself preoccupied with aeronauts; people who chose to reach great heights in the only way they knew how, in a hot air balloon.

 

 

Skybound int2 Carlotta in balloon.
Interior spread from Skybound written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Calkins Creek ©2024.

 

 

Mary soon married a fellow aficionado, and together they read, planned, and even invented! “… she helped her husband, Carl Myers, invent a “groundbreaking” balloon fabric. I love the clever use of ballooning terms, often in colored font, when describing different aspects of Mary’s life. Bruno’s art, which I adored in Mesmerized, takes us back in time with attention to period clothing and other details that lift this illuminating story to another level.

Using their new material, Mary and Carl experimented with different balloon shapes and even hired a professional to try them out. But they also wanted their balloons to do more than just fly way up high. They wanted an aeronaut who’d be able to gather scientific data while also entertaining crowds.

 

 

Skybound int3 two miles up in the sky.
Interior spread from Skybound written by Sue Ganz-Schmitt and illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Calkins Creek ©2024.

 

 

Mary made the case for how she could do this and, after much thought, she transformed herself into Carlotta, an exotic name for a performer. She would take her aerial act aloft and remain there “for five miles or thirty minutes.” Even the rain did not stop her! Even the risks, and there were many! Mary’s intrepidness could not be denied. Ganz-Schmitt builds up the tension with her prose as does Bruno’s art. Would Mary, on her solo journey skybound, remain safe? Would the inclement weather prove detrimental? Would she gather the information she needed? I couldn’t wait to find out! And neither will readers.

Eight delightful pages of backmatter delve into more detail about Carlotta’s interesting life including tales of her many close calls while up in the air. I enjoyed the timeline, and seeing a hand-tinted postcard of the Balloon Farm in Frankfort, NY where it was “the only aeronautic institution of its kind in the world.” As a former New Yorker, I wondered why the Balloon Farm was not better known because I’d love to have visited it. Skybound and other picture books that highlight women’s achievements in the 19th and 20th centuries are great for children to read. There are many instances of women who were ahead of their time and these books serve as important reminders that perseverance and vision pay off in myriad ways.

 

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Picture Book Biography – The Fabulous Fannie Farmer


THE FABULOUS FANNIE FARMER:
Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook

Written by Emma Bland Smith

Illustrated by Susan Reagan

(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

The_Fabulous_Fannie_Farmer_cover_young_Fannie_testing_soup

 

 Starred Review – School Library Journal

Written by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Susan Reagan, The Fabulous Fannie Farmer is a humorous and fascinating story of a quiet, kitchen revolutionist who transformed the notion of home cooking from “meaningless” work to a serious business. 

 

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer int1 young Fannie in 1800s peeling potatoes.
Interior spread from The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook written by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Susan Reagan, Calkins Creek Ⓒ2024.

 

Like many girls during the late 1800s, Fannie Farmer most likely grew up learning how to cook in her home kitchen, using recipes that had been in her family for generations. Yet recipes in Fannie’s day were more poetic than precise. Phrases like “a suspicion of,” “a good lump,” and “as many as may be necessary” not only hindered consistent results but perpetuated the myth that cooking was “all about feminine instincts.” I love how author Emma Smith emphasizes the strangeness and silliness of this misguided belief by adding humor to her storytelling. Sentences like, “instructions were often cloudier than clam chowder” and “… who needs standard measurements when you’ve got your trusty feminine instincts, right?” create a light-hearted, conversational tone that brings Smith’s retelling of culinary history to life. Susan Reagan’s period-perfect illustrations add whimsy and authenticity, allowing readers to see what life was like at the turn of the last century. 

Despite suffering the aftereffects of (what many believe was) polio, Fannie continued to cook and bake in her kitchen, testing out recipes with precision by using measuring cups and spoons. When she enrolled in the Boston Cooking School at age thirty-one, Fannie truly excelled. As a student, then assistant, and finally a principal, she taught her students to think like “kitchen scientists.” 

 

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer int2 unclear recipe measurements.
Interior art from The Fabulous Fannie Farmer: Kitchen Scientist and America’s Cook written by Emma Bland Smith and illustrated by Susan Reagan, Calkins Creek Ⓒ2024.

 

When she fulfilled her wish to rewrite the school’s old cookbook, she and her students tested every recipe, transforming the school’s kitchen into a chemistry lab. Fannie paved the way for cooks and bakers everywhere to finally have access to clear and precise recipes with reliable results. But more than that, Fannie created a cultural shift in the way people thought about home cooking. Since it involved “planning and budgeting, health and nutrition,” she insisted the work deserved serious recognition. 

The Fabulous Fannie Farmer opens readers’ eyes to the importance of Fannie’s impact on our everyday lives. A great resource for teachers, this book can also be fun for readers at home, learning a bit of culinary history while snacking on a treat. Two recipes from Fannie’s book and extensive back matter are included.

  • Reviewed by Armineh Manookian

 

Click here for a soup recipe.

 

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Five Children’s Books for Women’s History Month

FIVE CHILDREN’S BOOKS

FOR

WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

∼ A ROUNDUP ∼

 

 

Just Wild Enough cover of primatologist Mireya Mayor in MadagascarJUST WILD ENOUGH:
Mireya Mayor, Primatologist
Written by Marta Magellan
Illustrated by Clémentine Rocheron
(Albert Whitman & Co.; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

Picture book biographies such as Just Wild Enough are exactly why I love nonfiction and why I especially love Women’s History Month. Part of the She Made History collection, this book brings primatologist Mireya Mayor to the attention of young readers and might just plant the seed for some of them to study the fascinating and important field of primatology.

From a young age, animals were always a part of Mayor’s life. She could never have enough pets whether they were cats, dogs, rabbits, birds, a chicken, or a snapping turtle. At the same time, she felt that nothing was quite wild enough. This phrase is often repeated and is backed up by many impressive examples throughout the bio.

While she attended university, Mayor was also an NFL cheerleader for the Miami Dolphins. Yet her dream to be a primatologist persisted. People she knew couldn’t see why she’d want to visit jungles and study primates. In fact, one of my favorite lines in the book is when some researchers told her she didn’t look like a scientist. Magellan writes “But what does a scientist look like, anyway?”

Much to everyone’s surprise, Mayor eventually ended up on the island of Madagascar to study inky-black lemurs. There she was hired by National Geographic “as its very first woman wildlife TV reporter.” Still, nothing she experienced was quite wild enough. Her tenacity took her deep into one of the last virgin rainforests. Always one to look closer, Mayor discovered a new species of mouse lemur. But finding that species also meant the need to speak with the prime minister since the mouse lemur’s habitat was being devastated. Using fire, people stripped “the trees from the rain forest for fuel.” When Mayor met him she asked if he could declare the rain forest a national park thus ensuring the mouse lemurs’ survival. He agreed!

Magellan’s chosen to introduce kids to an inspirational woman in a well-balanced presentation of the life of a primatologist. I enjoyed learning about Mayor’s colorful and conscientious life. The art helps young readers see what some of Mayor’s responsibilities were and the text helps them understand her motivation. Dubbed the female Indiana Jones, she continues to this day to promote the protection of endangered species and the importance of conservation. Rocheron’s artwork takes us on the football field and into the jungles with illustrations that work well in this bio but would also look great on a TV show. Four pages of back matter include a Glossary, Author’s Note, About Mouse Lemurs, and Anjanaharibe-Sud Special Reserve.

 

Dolly!-The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream Dolly playing guitarDOLLY!:
The Story of Dolly Parton and Her Big Dream
Written  by Robyn McGrath
Illustrated by Ellen Surrey
(LBRY/Christy Ottaviano Books; $17.99, Ages 4-8)

I know very little about Dolly Parton so I couldn’t wait to dive into this picture book. What I learned is that Dolly grew up in the Great Smoky Mountains of Tennessee and is the fourth of twelve children so it’s no surprise she became a performer. What better way to make your presence known?

Dolly’s musical prowess showed up when she was five years old and “composed her first song about her handmade corncob doll, Tiny Tasseltop.” She could be found singing to her animals at home or in church and loved listening to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio on Saturdays along with her family. The music moved her. The Partons occasionally found time for music sessions together playing “some Appalachian porch pickin’ music.” Dolly easily moved from instrument to instrument learning as she went. And, growing up dirt poor, Dolly channeled unpleasant experiences of bullying into her music, her musical dreams motivated by her mama’s singing and stories. Dolly’s primary dream was to be onstage at the Opry but was always told the same thing – she was too young.

Did that stop Dolly? Like the other women in this roundup, Dolly didn’t take no for an answer and persevered. And though she had farmwork to take care of, she still wrote and sang songs, never losing sight of her dream. Her uncle Bill observed her talent and after Dolly got her first guitar, he not only encouraged her but helped her get her first radio and TV gigs. Despite being well received by audiences, that didn’t mean an automatic entrée for Dolly into the Grand Old Opry.

Then one day Dolly’s big dream was realized when “another singer agreed to let Dolly go onstage in his place at the Grand Ole Opry!” After three encores that night, the rest is history. Dolly went on to dazzle audiences on TV as her career took off. To this day her singing and songwriting still thrill fans and she’s added philanthropy to her playbook. Back matter details her literacy, health care, and marriage equality initiatives. I got a kick out of her Dollyisms also included. Here’s my favorite from the book: “The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you got to put up with the rain.” The pairing of McGrath’s prose with Surrey’s art is a winning combination. It was probably not easy to narrow down what to focus on in such a storied life, but McGrath’s homed in on highlights such as her close family life and self-confidence that help readers understand Dolly’s drive. You can also feel Dolly’s energy in the bold illustrations.

 

A Life of Service Tammy Duckworth in wheelchairA LIFE OF SERVICE:
The Story of Senator Tammy Duckworth
Written by Christina Soontornvat
Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk
(Candlewick Press; 18.99, Ages 5-9)

Soontornvat shows readers how there is so much more to Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth’s life than meets the eye. Her commitment to serving our country has remained steadfast despite facing a life-changing accident in 2004.

Written using a straightforward chronological structure, this bio shares that Tammy was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and growing up she and her family moved around Southeast Asia. Because of her father’s job working for the United Nations, she saw people from all walks of life who had been displaced due to war and were living as refugees. Her caring about others was instilled at a young age and never left her.

When her father lost his job, he moved everyone to Hawaii where at times Tammy was the sole breadwinner. Her drive and caring never faltered and she worked hard at school despite the family’s tough financial situation. After high school, Tammy continued on to college and graduate school knowing she wanted to serve her country, just not how.

Tammy found fulfillment in the ROTC, then joined the Illinois Army National Guard. She also fell in love and got married. Fascinated by aviation, she mastered operating a Black Hawk helicopter eventually becoming her unit’s commander. When the US decided to invade Iraq, Tammy did not agree but chose to stay with her company in Balad, Iraq as battle captain. Near the end of a mission, on Nov. 12, 2004, her helicopter was struck by a rocket-propelled grenade. Tammy almost didn’t survive. The result – one leg lost and one partially lost from the knee down. And though the pain was debilitating, Tammy’s fellow vets provided motivation. She’d get better and return to combat. But that was not to be.

In rehab for 13 months, Tammy was the most senior ranked vet and soon found she was helping others navigate benefits and other challenges they encountered. With this experience under her belt it was no surprise she was asked to run for Congress. And though she lost the first time, she didn’t the second time! Not one to shy from breaking the glass ceiling, Tammy also won her Senate race where “she racked up a long string of firsts,” including being the first female amputee to serve in Congress, and the first senator to give birth while in office. To this day Tammy Duckworth is a force to be reckoned with as she fights for disability rights, immigration, and refugee protections, helping vets find work, and supporting family needs.

Dow Phumiruk’s art brought Tammy into my home (and heart) as I followed her childhood to her military years to her rise and influence in politics. Together with Soontornvat’s thoughtful prose, A Life of Service introduces young readers to a role model worthy of a place in Women’s History Month and Women’s History in general. I am glad to have learned her story. Backmatter includes a helpful timeline of major events in Tammy’s life, suggested reading as well as her “Ongoing Legacy of Service.”

 

Wonderful Hair cover Annie Malone with clientWONDERFUL HAIR:
The Beauty of Annie Malone
Written by Eve Nadel Catarevas
Illustrated by Felicia Marshall 
(Creston Books; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Annie’s story is one of perseverance and success, and more impressive since it happened around the turn of the 19th century when Black women were denied the same opportunities as whites. Annie’s neighbor and friend, Lillie even said to her, “Black girls like us grow up to be maids, washerwomen, or cooks.” But from a young age, Annie found herself interested in hair care as Black women were seeking “the same fashionable hairstyles white women had.” She was determined to follow her own path.

As a girl, Annie had friends and family coming to her for she had a way with Black women’s hair. And she knew it was going to be her destiny. That vision took her from strength to strength.

Annie asked her herb doctor Aunt Mary to create a product a product to help make hair grow. Too many women she knew had bald patches from harsh hair straightening products and remedies “to tame rebellious curls and kinks.” Aunt Mary’s product launched Annie’s career. When Annie decided to make one even better, she called it “Wonderful Hair Grower” and charged 25 cents for it. With her growing beauty business, Annie moved to Brooklyn, Illinois and sold her products from a horse-drawn wagon.

Annie’s company continued to thrive and relocated to St. Louis. There, she expanded her line of self-care items to include shampoo, conditioner, soap, and lipstick. “She named her company Poro, a West African word for physical and spiritual growth.’ Because Black women’s products weren’t sold in stores, Annie went door-to-door selling. As demand increased, she trained women to ” operate their own hair salons.” She even launched Poro Beauty College! At one point she had 75,000 beauty agents worldwide and even had a store at St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904!

So now, when you hear that Sarah Breedlove was the first self-made Black female millionaire because of her hair-care company Madam C.J. Walker, you’ll know that in fact she was trained by Annie Malone who can truly claim that accomplishment. I enjoyed how Catarevas brought  Annie’s story to life buoyed by occasional quotes such as “One dime will do,” said by Aunt Mary who charged her niece that sum for her hair-growing mixture. Coupled with Marshall’s illustrations that had an oil painting quality because of the visible brushstrokes, Catarevas grounds readers in an era where change was on the horizon, and entrepreneurs like Annie who reached out and grabbed opportunities could realize her dreams.

Josephine and Her Dishwashing Machine cover inventor surrounded by dishesJOSEPHINE AND HER DISHWASHING MACHINE:
Josephine Cochrane’s  Bright Invention Makes a Big Splash
Written by Kate Hannigan
Illustrated by Sarah Green
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

Sometimes I wonder if all our household conveniences have already been invented but there was a time when this was not the case. In the 1870s and ’80s, following the civil war, inventors were hard at work around the world developing new products and devices to make life easier in homes, on farms, in offices and factories, and at hospitals. Enter Josephine Garis Cochrane, a woman with a neat idea.

Green’s full-page illustrations depict a woman who is wealthy enough to have a maid. She also probably grew up not lacking the necessities in life being the daughter of a bridge builder and great-granddaughter of a steamship designer. It didn’t hurt that inventiveness was in her blood. So, when Cochrane noticed what bad condition her dishware was in from all the handwashing it had endured, she knew there had to be a better way. While there had been an earlier version of a dishwasher that “just splashed water around,” Josephine wanted her invention to actually clean.

After trying to fashion the dishwasher herself, Josephine enlisted the talents of a mechanic, George Butters, to help her. At first, things looked bright but when Josephine’s husband died, she was ready to throw in the towel. But we know, since there’s a book about her, she didn’t throw in the towel. Instead, with George’s assistance, she “tested and tinkered and pushed and persevered until she was satisfied.” You’ll note how Hannigan’s use of water and cleaning-related language to share her story is spot on (pun intended!).

At last, her dishwasher was ready to be patented! But without investors, Josephine’s nascent business could not succeed. Those male investors were not likely to bet on a business run by a woman in the late 19th century. Fortunately for this enterprising woman, she decided to exhibit her invention at the Columbian Exposition (aka the Chicago World’s Fair) in 1893. Not only did her dishwasher win first place for “best mechanical construction” it also won her orders from across the country. Hotels, restaurants, schools and even hospitals wanted one. “The Garis-Cochrane Dish-washing Machine Company soon outgrew the backyard shed.” Her company grew and thrived. Well into her seventies, Josephine continued to sell her dream with the ultimate goal of getting it into homes.

I chose to review this story because the topic is so relatable and also because it’s not a cradle-to-grave biography. It focuses on Cochrane as a grown woman determined to create the best possible dishwasher in order to free up people to have time to enjoy other activities. Hannigan’s included several quotes throughout the book from Josephine that attest to her spirit. When others might have given up, she never did. Green’s lively and lovely artwork added to my enjoyment. I’m glad she included pictures of the patents, too. Comprehensive back matter sheds light on what it was like for a woman inventor and business owner to try to get her product out into the world when modern appliances such as toasters and irons were not to be seen until 1913, the year Josephine died. More pages are devoted to Notable Women Inventors and a Timeline of Fascinating Inventions.

 

ADDITIONAL RECOMMENDED READS

CHEF EDNA: 
Queen of Southern Cooking, Edna Lewis
Written by Melvina Noel
Illustrated by Cozbi A. Cabrera
(Cameron Kids; $18.99, Ages 4-8)
Available for Pre-order now

A STORY IS TO SHARE:
How Ruth Krauss Found Another Way to Tell a Tale
Written by Carter  Higgins
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault
(Abrams BYR; $19.99, Ages 4-8)

I AM TEMPLE GRANDIN
(Ordinary People Change the World)
Written by Brad Meltzer
Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
(Rocky Pond Books; $16.99, Ages 5-9)

SPLASH!: 
Ethelda Bleibtrey Makes Waves of Change
Written by Elisa Boxer
Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley
(Sleeping Bear Press; $17.99, Ages 6-10)

A TAKE-CHARGE GIRL BLAZES A TRAIL TO CONGRESS:
The Story of Jeannette Rankin
Written by Gretchen Woelfle
Illustrated by Rebecca Gibbon
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

DAZZLIN’ DOLLY:
The Songwriting, Hit-Singing, Guitar-Picking Dolly Parton
Written by Suzanne Slade
Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

CLOAKED IN COURAGE:
Uncovering Deborah Sampson Patriot Solder
Written by Beth Anderson
Illustrated  by Anne Lambelet
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

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Picture Book Review for Women’s History Month – Born Hungry

 

 

BORN HUNGRY:
Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef”

Written by  Alex Prud’homme

Illustrated by Sarah Green 

(Calkins Creek; $18.99 Ages 5-9)

 

 

BornHungryJuliaChildbyAlexPrud'hommeCover

 

 

★Starred Review – The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

 

Julia Child’s grandnephew and the coauthor of her best-selling autobiography, My Life in France, has written an irresistibly delicious read if a picture book can be described that way. And, when coupled with Sarah Green’s gorgeous, mouth-watering illustrations, you might just have to run out and grab yourself a pain au chocolat to satisfy your craving after finishing Born Hungry.

This picture book memoir chronicles the travels, tastes, and meals that Julia Child experienced throughout her life, ultimately influencing her foray into cooking and broadcasting career as TV’s first-ever celebrity chef.  One apt and popular quote, “I was born hungry, not a cook” really sums up the essence of what this engaging bio is all about.

 

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Interior spread from Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef” written by Alex Prud’homme and illustrated by Sarah Green, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

Readers meet the young Julia McWilliams who wore “size twelve sneakers, stood six feet, two inches tall, played basketball, laughed loudly, and was curious about everything.” The author goes on to explain that Julia’s activity led to her having a rather large appetite. But because she grew up with a cook, she wasn’t encouraged to learn how to do so herself. Clearly, that did not stop her interest in food.

Early in her career during WWII, she worked in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), as a clerk typist for the US spy agency called the OSS. That posting introduced her to a wealth of new foods and it also introduced Julia to her future husband, Paul Child, who worked in the office next to hers. They shared the love of food, books, and travel. And while her love of cooking had yet to emerge, she did invent a recipe for shark repellant!

Back in the states after the war had ended, Julia made it her mission to learn how to cook. Now married, she thought cooking a meal would impress her husband. She even took a class but her attempts left something to be desired.

During a trip to Rouen in France, however, Julia had the best meal of her life, one that stayed with her and prompted a renewed interest to learn how to “make such a feast.” With Paul stationed in Paris for work, Julia enrolled in the renowned Le Cordon Bleu cooking school. She was the only female student and worked hard to hone her skills. She even read cookbooks in her free time! “I came to the conclusion I really must be French, only no one had ever informed me.” With her newly acquired expertise and love of French cuisine, Child eventually opened a cooking school with two friends.  She was committed to sharing what she’d learned with an emphasis on how “time and care” along with using fresh ingredients and reading the recipe before attempting to cook were key to creating “a thoroughly satisfying meal.”

 

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Interior spread from Born Hungry: Julia Child Becomes “the French Chef” written by Alex Prud’homme and illustrated by Sarah Green, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

In the back matter, a comprehensive five-page Author’s Note details Julia’s life after 1961 when the couple retired from diplomatic service and relocated to Massachusetts. It’s in these pages readers learn about the cookbook that “changed Julia’s life.” Mastering the Art of French Cooking, written by Child along with two friends (and still in print), introduced an exciting new cooking approach to the American consumers who were hungry themselves to move on from canned goods to fresh ingredients in recipes that were fun to make. From there it was a public TV cooking show, followed by a long and illustrious career in the public eye. The rest, as they say, is history. If your appetite’s been whet, take advantage of Julia’s scrambled eggs recipe that is also included.

In Born Hungry, Prud’homme has perfectly captured Child’s zest for life (and the food in it) as well as her infectious personality that contributed to her enduring success. Green’s retro-looking art pops off the page and colorfully conveys both emotion and a keen sense of Child’s passion. For any parent or youngster who is curious about food and cooking, or looking for a positive example of a strong, influential woman who followed her dream, this picture book is a joy to read.

Click here for a Discussion Guide.

Read more about Alex Prud’homme here.

Read more about Sarah Green here.

For more information about Julia Child, please visit: juliachildfoundation.org

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Picture Book Review for Black History Month – Seeking Freedom

 

 

SEEKING FREEDOM:
The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe
and the Ending of Slavery in America

Written by Selene Castrovilla

Illustrated by E.B. Lewis

(Calkins Creek; $24.99; Ages 7 – 10)

 

 

Seeking Freedom cover

 

 

★Starred Review – Booklist

 

Three freedom seekers took a chance and entered Fortress Monroe without realizing another freedom seeker was watching them from behind a tree, leading to the eventual freedom of thousands of African Americans in Seeking Freedom: The Untold Story of Fortress Monroe and the Ending of Slavery in America, written by award-winning author Selene Castrovilla with illustrations by Caldecott Honoree E.B. Lewis.

With page-turning, easy-to-understand prose, and a history lesson that no reader will forget, Castrovilla’s nonfiction picture book presents a fascinating narrative of what led to President Abraham Lincoln’s decision to create the Emancipation Proclamation and the eventual end to slavery

The book opens with an explanation of what took place when war broke out on April 12, 1861, after Lincoln took office and seven Southern states seceded from the union. It was when Virginia abandoned the United States that the enslaved people knew they would do anything to be free. Castrovilla also explains to readers that the terms slave and fugitive are considered dehumanizing and has replaced these words with enslaved and freedom seekers.

Lewis separates the illustrations with dates helping to visualize the time frame of when events were happening. Freedom seeker George Scott is first introduced watching three African American men enter Fortress Monroe who miraculously are not sent away. After spending two years hiding in the forest, which is much better than being tied to a whipping post, Scott watches more men and women enter the fortress. Hours later, there was still no sign of them! Was it true? Were these people now among friends?

 

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Interior spread from Seeking Freedom written by Selene Castrovilla and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

The soft tones of a large brick bridge, and the backs of men and women entering with bare feet, leave us wondering if they will be safe. Lewis’s evocative watercolors show Scott hesitantly walking behind the others on the bridge, becoming the last in the long line to be interviewed. He made the right decision! Fortress Commander Major General Benjamin Butler sits behind his desk questioning every man who has arrived hoping to get information about where Confederates are stationed. “I shall hold these Negroes as contraband of war.” Contraband — property used for warlike purposes against the government of the United States — could be legally confiscated.

Scott tells Butler that he has seen many confederates in the woods. And now Butler has a mission for Scott to track down the confederates. In fact, George Scott was the first enslaved man to be handed a revolver and ride off near the front of an infantry of five thousand men. Chaos came fast. The loss … tremendous.

 

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Interior spread from Seeking Freedom written by Selene Castrovilla and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

Many of Butler’s men died but the confederates fled. Butler put his legal skills to work in a letter that was sent to President Lincoln asking for freedom for all African Americans. It was then, Castrovilla explains, that Scott journeyed to the capital to ask for freedom. Congress passed an act approving the confiscation of fugitive slaves by the federal government — and freeing all people enslaved by the Confederacy.

 

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Interior spread from Seeking Freedom written by Selene Castrovilla and illustrated by E.B. Lewis, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

The interesting backmatter includes black-and-white photos of groups of Virginia contrabands wearing old civil war uniforms and explains the history of the Aftermath, The Contrabands, Benjamin Butler’s legacy, and the unsung hero named George Scott. It is unknown if he achieved his goal of asking President Lincoln for his freedom.

This book needs to be placed on every elementary and middle school bookshelf to be read not only during Black History Month but during history lessons. It is a book about the inner strength of George Scott, and the three original men, and what drive they had to change the lives of so many. This is an important perspective about the Civil War and the history of Black people in this country that I wholeheartedly recommend. In 2011 President Barrack Obama signed the proclamation that established the Fort Monroe National Monument, the pathway to freedom marking the beginning and end of slavery in our nation.

  • Reviewed by Ronda Einbinder
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An Interview with Beth Anderson Author of Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle

 

AN INTERVIEW WITH

BETH ANDERSON

AUTHOR OF

TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE:

PANDEMONIUM AND PATIENCE IN THE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE

ILLUSTRATED BY S. D. SCHINDLER

(CALKINS CREEK; $18.99, AGES 7 to 10)

 

 

Tad Lincoln's Restless Wriggle cover

 

 

 

SUMMARY

Tad Lincoln’s boundless energy annoyed almost everyone but his father, President Abraham Lincoln. But Tad put that energy to good use during the tough times of the Civil War. Abraham Lincoln guided Tad’s wriggle on visits to hospitals, to the telegraph office, and to army camps. Tad greeted visitors, raised money for bandages, and kept his father company late into the night. This special and patient bond between father and son was plain to see, and before long, Tad had wriggled his way into the hearts of others as well. Beth Anderson and S. D. Schindler follow Tad’s antics during the Civil War to uncover the generous heart and joyful spirit that powered Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle.

 

INTERVIEW

Colleen Paeff: Hi Beth! Congratulations on a busy couple of years! If I’m not mistaken, your debut picture book, An Inconvenient Alphabet: Ben Franklin and Noah Webster’s Spelling Revolution, came out in 2018 and by the end of 2023, you will have eight picture books out in the world, all nonfiction! That’s amazing! How do you manage to be so prolific?

Beth Anderson: Thank you, Colleen! It’s all very surreal! I don’t feel prolific. It takes me a long time to get a manuscript in shape. I think the surge for 2022 is due to a few manuscripts that I had worked on earlier that are finally making it out in the world, along with a scheduling change. I feel like my production of new stories has slowed as I learn to juggle more tasks. Only three of the eight technically qualify as nonfiction, but I think all but one will be shelved as biographies.

 

CP: Your books have covered stories from the 18th, 19th, and early 20th centuries. When you started writing for children did you know you would focus on mostly true stories from history or has your career evolved that way over time?

BA: I started off playing with fiction. But when I worked on a story I’d become familiar with in college (which sat in my head for a very long time!), I found my niche with historical stories. I love the discovery of little-known bits of history that open your eyes to a wider understanding of the world. The bonus of humor is irresistible. And ultimately, if a story opens your heart, too, that’s the best!

 

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Interior spread from Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle written by Beth Anderson and illustrated by S. D. Schindler, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

CP: Do you have a favorite time period to write about?

BA: While I don’t have one favorite, I find the era surrounding the American Revolution fascinating. It may be because there is so much more there than what made it into textbooks and curriculum. There are so many contradictions and ironies, and so many aspects of revolution playing out in people’s lives. I love that Hamilton, the musical,  has brought intense interest to that time along with new ways of looking at it. Suddenly history is popular culture! Gotta love it!

 

CP: Absolutely! I love that Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle shows readers a side of Abraham Lincoln that we don’t usually see in books. How did you discover this sweet relationship and what made you decide it would make a good book?

BA: I started out looking into Tad Lincoln as the instigator of the first presidential turkey pardon. (Lincoln had previously granted a pardon to one of Tad’s toy soldiers. 😄) When I dug deeper looking for the heart of the story, I discovered the very tender relationship between father and son. Each provided the other with what they desperately needed. Tad provided joy and hope when his father was in the depths of despair. And Papa patiently guided Tad with love and understanding when everyone else just wanted to shut him down. It was powerful to see a child play such an important role, and that became the heart of the story. For me, the goal is always to find the humanity in history, to connect as people. Seeing Lincoln as a caring father is a great reminder that historical figures are much more complex than the images we usually encounter.

 

CP: In the back matter you mention that the book focuses on one year in Tad Lincoln’s life. Why did you choose to limit yourself to one year and what made you choose 1863?

BA: As I collected stories of the two, I found a sort of transformation of Tad in 1863. By focusing on that year, I could eliminate some of the other Lincoln events, like Willie’s death and the assassination, and really hone in on Tad and Papa. I found an arc of events that took Tad from disruptive, to well-intentioned annoying, to slowly finding ways to appropriately help his father and others. The turkey pardon became a culminating event in which Tad found his voice and agency.

 

CP: What are some of your favorite stories about Tad that didn’t make it into the book?

BA: One that was cut—he sawed up the dining room table and used barrel staves to construct rocking chairs for the Old Soldiers’ Home. His toolbox disappeared after that one.

There are stories about Tad and Willie playing with the bell system in the President’s House and causing problems. They also played on the roof with pretend cannons, and they found all sorts of fun stuff in the attic. Tad used to ride his pony as “security detail” to accompany his parents in the carriage. There are many touching anecdotes that helped me get to know him.

 

CP: What fun stories! What do you hope readers will take away from Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle?

BA: I hope children will see goodness and capableness in themselves and others despite what might appear to be annoying behavior or uncomfortable differences. To me, the story is about perspectives, too. Incapable boy vs a child with learning differences.  Undisciplined trouble vs unbridled good intentions. The President’s House vs home.

 

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Interior art from Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle written by Beth Anderson and illustrated by S. D. Schindler, Calkins Creek ©2022.

 

CP: How do you go about finding little-known stories from history? Do you have any favorite resources?

BA: I subscribe to various news feeds, keep my eyes and ears tuned for possibilities, and often find something while I’m looking into a different topic. I explore history sites sometimes, but there’s no one place.

 

CP: How do you keep your research organized?

BA: I’ve slowly developed my system. I use a spiral for gathering information. I label the first page Table of Contents and use what has become a standard list of things I know I’ll need – like sources, contacts, title ideas, structure ideas, key concepts/themes, back matter possibilities, teacher ideas, timeline, character details, and much more. I need to be able to sort what I find into usable categories and capture ideas as they pop so I can locate those pieces when I need them. I did a post on my blog a few years ago called Organization Optimization. I often buy used copies of books I need so I can mark them up. I copy or print a lot of articles and relevant pages to have in hand. I keep all my accumulated pieces in a pocket file.  [see the photo of spiral below]

 

 

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Table of Contents page for Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle from Beth Anderson’s spiral notebook courtesy of the author.

 

CP: That sounds like a terrific system! I will definitely be stealing some organization ideas from you! What are some of the most surprising things you’ve learned in researching your books—all of them, not necessarily just the most recent?

BA: Now that I think about it, I think they are all about something that surprised me—like Ben and Noah’s efforts to change our spelling and “Smelly” Kelly’s nose. I guess that’s a lot of what draws me to a story.

A few tidbits. I was surprised to learn that Black men could have served on a jury in New York in 1855. To attend court, Elizabeth Jennings’ family would have had to walk across the ice to get from Manhattan to Brooklyn in February 1855. I was totally shocked that James Kelly pulled a 30” eel out of a subway sink drain. There are phones in the subway tunnels marked by blue lights. Horns were used as hearing aids—per S. D. Schindler’s illustration in Tad’s story. I didn’t know that men paid bounties for others to serve in their place in the Continental Army. (So really, the wealthy finding a way out of military service is nothing new. Actually, I get those surprises often, that some of the problems and situations we have are really nothing new.) Every story is full of surprises. There are the ones that bring you to the story, and then so many more as you write and vet for accuracy.

 

CP: Those kinds of surprises are what I love about writing nonfiction! What’s next for you, Beth?

BA: 2022 is a busy year with three releases! REVOLUTIONARY PRUDENCE WRIGHT: LEADING THE MINUTE WOMEN IN THE FIGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE, illustrated by Susan Reagan, releasing Feb. 1, and FRANZ’S PHANTASMAGORICAL MACHINE, illustrated by Caroline Hamel, releasing May 3 are up for pre-order now. CLOAKED IN COURAGE: UNCOVERING DEBORAH SAMPSON, PATRIOT SOLDIER, illustrated by Anne Lambelet, comes out Nov. 15.

I’m on pins and needles waiting to see what Jeremy Holmes does for our 2023 release, THOMAS JEFFERSON’S BATTLE FOR SCIENCE: BIAS, TRUTH, AND A MIGHTY MOOSE. And there’s another title in process, as yet unannounced.

 

CP: Incredible! I look forward to reading them all! Thank you so much for taking the time to chat.

BA: Thanks so much for inviting me to share TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE with your readers! I’m honored!

 

Beth Anderson Headshot
Beth Anderson Photo ©Tina Wood Photography

BRIEF BIO

Beth Anderson, a former English as a Second Language teacher, has always marveled at the power of books. With linguistics and reading degrees, a fascination with language, and a penchant for untold tales, she strives for accidental learning in the midst of a great story. Beth lives in Loveland, Colorado where she laughs, ponders, and questions; and hopes to inspire kids to do the same. She’s the award-winning author of TAD LINCOLN’S RESTLESS WRIGGLE, “SMELLY” KELLY AND HIS SUPER SENSES, LIZZIE DEMANDS A SEAT!, and AN INCONVENIENT ALPHABET. Beth has more historical picture books on the way, including three more stories of revolution, wonder, and possibility in 2022.

 

BUY BETH’S BOOKS HERE

Click here or here for orders and pre-orders.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Website: bethandersonwriter.com

Twitter: @Bandersonwriter

Instagram: @Bandersonwriter

Pinterest: @Bandersonwriter

Facebook: https://www.beth.anderson.33671748

 

ABOUT INTERVIEWER COLLEEN PAEFF:

Colleen Paeff is the author of The Great Stink: How Joseph Bazalgette Solved London’s Poop Pollution Problem (Margaret K. McElderry Books), illustrated by Nancy Carpenter, and Rainbow Truck, co-authored with Hina Abidi and illustrated by Saffa Khan (available in the spring of 2023 from Chronicle Books).

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Nonfiction Picture Book Review – Without Separation

 

WITHOUT SEPARATION:

Prejudice, Segregation, and the Case of Roberto Alvarez

Written by Larry Dane Brimner

Illustrated by Maya Gonzalez

(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

 

 

★Starred Review – Kirkus

 

I could not put down the nonfiction picture book Without Separation because, like the compelling but little-known case presented in the recently reviewed We Want to Go to School, this eye-opening account is about a civil rights case I had never heard about yet think everyone should.

Readers meet Roberto Alvarez on his way to school on January 5, 1931, just after the Christmas break. When the 12-year-old arrived at Lemon Grove Grammar School, “the principal told Roberto and other Mexican and Mexican American children that they did not belong there.” It soon became clear that the children were going to be segregated under the guise that the Mexican children didn’t understand English and were holding back white students.  

 

 

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Interior spread from Without Separation written by Larry Dane Brimner and illustrated by Maya Gonzalez, Calkins Creek ©2021.

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I was stunned upon reading that the board of trustees of the school district had gone ahead and had another school built to separate these children. On top of that, they did it without telling the Mexican parents. They thought they were avoiding trouble this way but what they were doing was wrong or they would have been more transparent.

They may have thought that by going behind parents’ backs they could get away with their ploy but the inhabitants of the Mexican barrio knew better. Roberto’s parents had told him to come home if he were sent to the new Olive Street School, aka the barnyard.

That fateful morning, Roberto and a large group of other students refused to attend. While the school district tried to spin Olive Street School as a way to help the children learn English and American customs, Roberto, his parents, and other families knew the truth. This was a blatant and seemingly illegal attempt to segregate the students based on race.

 

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Interior spread from Without Separation written by Larry Dane Brimner and illustrated by Maya Gonzalez, Calkins Creek ©2021.

 

Fortunately, the families quickly organized themselves. When they met with the Mexican consul, he connected them with a couple of lawyers to help them. “Roberto brought the situation in Lemon Grove to the attention of the California Superior Court in San Diego on February 13, 1931.” A lawsuit against the board of trustees of the Lemon Grove School District was filed stating how Roberto wanted to go to the same school as the white students, where he’d gone before the new year.

The school board felt overly confident about winning the case because San Diego’s district attorney was on their side, but mistakes were made. The D.A. tried to get the case dismissed but luck was not on his side.

 

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Interior spread from Without Separation written by Larry Dane Brimner and illustrated by Maya Gonzalez, Calkins Creek ©2021.

 

The judge ultimately ruled in favor of Roberto Alvarez who the school district tried to prevent from returning to the local school he’d previously attended. The law said the lead plaintiff (and therefore all the others affected) had every right to attend the Lemon Grove Grammar School “without separation or segregation.” This important case along with several others was cited “before the US Supreme Court when it made its landmark Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (Kansas) decision of 1954 that outlawed school segregation.” And though the struggle recounted in Without Separation took place almost 91 years ago, the facts surrounding this case feel as relevant today when prejudice against the immigrant communities here in the U.S. continues and racial-based inequalities linger.

Author Brimner has written a timely and terrific book for today’s generation of children to gain greater insight into the power of community, commitment, and the change that even “one small voice” can make. Gonzalez’s gorgeous artwork, reminiscent of Mexican muralists with its bold lines and rich colors, helps bring this story to life.

Eight pages of interesting back matter go into more detail about the case including what happened to the principal Jerome J. Green. There are photos along with information about other similar lawsuits. I was happy to read how Roberto Alvarez became a successful businessman, civic leader, and philanthropist in San Diego before he passed away in 2003. It’s great that this book is available for families, schools, and libraries so readers can have a greater appreciation of the significant impact of Roberto Alvarez v. the Board of Trustees of the Lemon Grove School District.

  • Reviewed by Ronna Mandel
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A Q+A with Author Alexis O’Neill about Melvil Dewey

AN INTERVIEW WITH ALEXIS O’NEILL

Author of

The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying)

Melvil Dewey

 

EFFICIENT MELVIL DEWEY cvr

 

 

I’m thrilled to have Alexis back on GRWR to talk about her latest picture book biography and the quirky visionary she chose to write about.

BOOK SUMMARY:

Melvil Dewey’s love of organization and words drove him to develop and implement his Dewey Decimal system, leaving a significant and lasting impact in libraries across the country.

When Melvil Dewey realized every library organized their books differently, he wondered if he could invent a system all libraries could use to organize them efficiently. A rat-a-tat speaker, Melvil was a persistent (and noisy) advocate for free public libraries. And while he made enemies along the way as he pushed for changes–like his battle to establish the first library school with women as students, through it all he was EFFICIENT, INVENTIVE, and often ANNOYING as he made big changes in the world of public libraries–changes still found in the libraries of today!

Buy the book from your local independent bookseller.

The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey
Written by Alexis O’Neill
Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
(Calkins Creek; $18.99, Ages 7-10)

 

INTERVIEW:

Good Reads With Ronna: It’s like the history of Melvil Dewey has been hiding in plain sight all these years. I never gave much thought to his decimal system of book organization for libraries, and definitely never figured it out. What sparked your curiosity into the man and his contributions? 

Alexis O’Neill: I hadn’t given him much thought either, Ronna, until a librarian friend sent me a funny video she used to help teach kids the Dewey Decimal System. That made me realize I didn’t know a thing about the inventor of this seemingly ubiquitous system.

 

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Interior spread from The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey, written by Alexis O’Neill and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, Calkins Creek ©2020.

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GRWR: Apart from what Melvil Dewey is most famous for, what other ideas did you discover during your research phase that he championed which have impacted our lives? 

AON: Dewey really championed education for all. He was concerned about rural Americans as well as the waves of new immigrants having easier access to information. He also was a proponent of the Simplified Spelling movement, a precursor to today’s texting – getting rid of vowels and extra letters in words that hindered or were unnecessary to pronunciation – like “tho” for “though.” He chopped “Melville” down to “Melvil” but when there was an outcry, was convinced not to change “Dewey” to “Dui.”

 

GRWR: Let’s talk about Dewey’s dream of a librarian school at Columbia College where he was the chief librarian. Trustees did “not want women on their campus.” So how did he succeed?

AON: He got around them by following the spirit of the law and not the letter of the law. When Columbia College Trustees refused to have women on campus, Dewey bent rules to his needs: he opened his School of Library Economy in a storeroom over the chapel across the street. The entering class had seventeen women and three men.

 

GRWR: Dewey is referred to in the jacket flap as “EFFICIENT, INVENTIVE, and often annoying.“ Can you describe some of his quirky character traits?

AON: Even if Dewey had no fatal flaws (and he indeed had them), I still don’t think I’d be able to stand being in the same room with him for very long. He talked incessantly and rapidly. While the average American speaks at about 100-130 words per minute, one of Dewey’s students clocked him at a rate of 180 words per minute. When he tried to convince others about one of his ideas, he was like a dog on a bone. From a very young age and throughout his life, he obsessively kept lists of things such as his height, weight, assets, and more. And he fixated on the number 10, thus decimals. He wrote, “I am so loyal to decimals as our great labor saver that I even like to sleep decimally” (in other words, 10 hours a night.)

 

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Interior spread from The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey, written by Alexis O’Neill and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, Calkins Creek ©2020.

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GRWR: Melvil approached every endeavor and encounter in his life at 100 mph. The train visuals speeding through the pages of your story perfectly convey this energy. Do you think he moved at this pace because he had so much to accomplish in his lifetime that was predicted to be short after he inhaled smoke during a fire in his youth? 

AON: Dewey grew up in a deeply religious, restrictive household. He was always concerned with wastefulness and a desire “to leave the world a better place than when I found it.”  But when he was recuperating from a fire at his school as a teen, this desire became an obsession as did his preoccupation with efficiency.

 

GRWR: There are a lot of words printed in bold throughout the book. You also ask young readers several questions throughout it as well. Can you explain why? 

AON: I wanted readers to come along with the book’s narrator on a breathless ride in “real-time” as Dewey’s driving energy rushes through the years. I used present tense, direct questions, and bolded words to make the narrative voice break the fourth wall and emphasize the surprise the narrator feels while making observations about Dewey.

 

GRWR: What made Dewey fall out of favor in the public’s eye?

AON: A couple of decades into his career, Dewey was exposed as a racist, anti-Semite, and serial sexual harasser. He had created the Lake Placid Club that specifically excluded people of color, Jews, and other religious groups. And there had been justified complaints for years in the American Library Association, a group he helped found, about Dewey’s serial harassment of women. For his actions, he was censured by the NYS Board of Regents for his discriminatory practices, forced to resign from his positions as State Librarian and director of the library school, and ostracized by the ALA.

 

GRWR: How do you reconcile Dewey’s love of books and reading driving his initial motivation to help immigrants and those who cannot afford books with his bigoted views of Jews and others? 

AON: I really can’t reconcile or explain this.

 

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Interior spread from The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey, written by Alexis O’Neill and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham, Calkins Creek ©2020.

 

GRWR: Is it hard to write about someone whose personal views you may not necessarily like or agree with? 

AON: Dewey’s goal was to make the world a better place. So the question is, did his classification system make the world a better place? I believe it did. It expanded educational opportunities for the general public by making access to information more efficient. There are countless examples of artists, scientists, and others whose negative personal behaviors are hard to reconcile with their contributions, but their contributions have made significant, positive differences in so many lives.

 

GRWR: You used to write fiction and of late have switched to nonfiction kidlit, primarily biographies. What about writing fact-based stories appeals to you? And what do you think kids like about them? 

AON: I still write fiction, but I love American history! Early in my writing career, I wrote many articles for Cobblestone Magazine, and doing the research was a kick. Like me, I think kids are excited to know when something is real. Some facts–especially in history or science–just take my breath away.

 

GRWR: Where do you turn to for story inspiration? 

AON: Footnotes in books, articles, videos – lots of things spark ideas for stories. I never know where the next spark comes from or if it will flame into a book.

 

GRWR: If you’re able to divulge this info, what is on your radar for your next picture book? 

AON: Right now, I have a couple of fiction picture books circulating, and I’m working on a middle-grade nonfiction project. After so many years of writing “tight,” doing long-form work is challenging. I keep wanting to cut words!

Thanks for this opportunity, Ronna!

GRWR: What a treat it’s been to have you back here to share your insights about Melvil Dewey, Alexis. I will never look at those numbers in the library the same way again!

 

AON Headshot by SonyaSones
Author Alexis O’Neill photo courtesy of ©Sonya Sones.

BIO:

Alexis O’Neill is the author of several picture books including The Recess Queen, the winner of several children’s choice awards, and The Kite That Bridged Two Nations, a California Young Reader Medal Nominee. Her new picture book biographies are Jacob Riis’s Camera; Bringing Light to Tenement Children and The Efficient, Inventive (Often Annoying) Melvil Dewey. Alexis received the California Reading Association’s award for making significant and outstanding contributions to reading throughout California and is an instructor for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

 

 

Website: www.alexisoneill.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/alexis.oneill.9

Twitter: @AlexisInCA

Instagram: @Alexis2017

 

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CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH AND MOLLY WILLIAMS

CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH

AND MOLLY WILLIAMS,

FEMALE FIREFIGHTING LEGEND

 

A GUEST POST/Q&A BY DIANNE OCHILTREE

 

“Each time a girl opens a book and reads a womanless history, she learns she is worth less.”

~ Dr. Myra Pollack Sadker, researcher, educator, and author of Failing at Fairness: How America’s Schools Cheat Girls (Scribners)

 

 

Molly_By_Golly

 

Knowing our history helps us discover who we are, and where we want to go. But when we don’t know our own history, or ‘herstory,’ this is a difficult task. Not knowing our past can limit our power today, and hinder our dreams for tomorrow. The National Women’s History Project initiated Women’s History Month 35 years ago to address this issue, and their mission remains to ‘write women back into history.’ In honor of Women’s History Month, I’d like to re-visit an author interview focused on a heroic woman whom I am very glad to have discovered and why I HAD to record her story for young readers.



When my picture book, Molly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter, was released, I did several interviews for bloggers. One of the nicest was this one with Debbi Michiko Florence for her blog DEBtastic Reads. It was a pleasure ‘talking’ with her about this book of mine, which went on to win the bronze medal in the 2013 Florida Book Awards, was named to the 2012 ALA Amelia Bloomer Book List for Feminist Literature, and more recently, was included as a 2016 Selection on the Top 100 Recommended African-American Children’s Books by AALBC.com (African-American Literature Book Club).

 

Q: Congratulations on the release of your newest picture book, MOLLY, BY GOLLY! The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter (Calkins Creek), fabulously illustrated by Kathleen Kemly.  You first became interested in Molly when you came across her legend while researching another book.  What inspired you to turn this into a picture book?

 

A: First, it was the great spirit of volunteerism that is at the heart of Molly’s legendary tale.  What Molly lacked in experience she more than compensated for with her courage and strength.  It was a great opportunity to inspire future firefighters and other community helpers.  Second, it was a chance to show kids how fires were actually fought in early American times.  I was meticulous in my research of these details, and so was illustrator Kathleen Kemly—the firefighting history experts who double-checked our efforts were equally meticulous—because we all wanted to present as accurate a picture as possible. Kids will certainly get an appreciation for the modern equipment we have today. Third, Molly’s legend was filled with the type of action and emotion sure to inspire fabulous illustrations…which is just what happened!

 

Q: I was fascinated to learn how intensive and exhausting firefighting was in the 1800s! What part of your research for this book surprised you the most? 

A: The biggest surprise was learning that the earliest pumper engines were not transported to the scene of a fire by a team of horses as I’d always assumed—PEOPLE did.  The cobblestone streets were very narrow and bumpy, and it was often easier and safer for humans to maneuver the heavy pumper in tight spots. Also, since there were no paid fire companies at the time, there were no funds for buying, feeding and housing horses to help fight fires.  There were no firehouses as we know them today, either.  The volunteer companies only had equipment sheds for their very basic tools. No “sliding-down-a-fire-pole” fun for these early firefighters!

 

Q: Molly was a cook for firefighters.  You share some delicious-sounding dishes in the book!  What are some of your favorite comfort foods? 

 

A:  My favorite comfort foods:  Pad Thai Noodles, Salted Caramel Ice Cream and Carolina Pulled Pork—but not all in the same meal!  I had a wonderful time researching early American cookery, and just loved the quaint-and-quirky names of dishes that Molly might have fixed for her ‘fire laddies’.

 

 

Author Dianne OchiltreeMolly, by Golly! The Legend of Molly Williams, America’s First Female Firefighter

Written by Dianne Ochiltree

Illustrated by Kathleen Kemly

Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills Press

Ages 7+ / $16.95-Hardcover / ISBN: 978-1-59078-721-2

 

  • 2016 Selection, Top 100 Recommended African-American Children’s Books by com(African-American Literature Book Club)
  • Winner of the Bronze Medal in the Children’s Literature category of the Florida Book Awards
  • 2013 Book Award Honor for Language Arts Grades K-6 from International Society of School Librarians
  • 2012 ALA Amelia Bloomer Book List for Feminist Literature

 

 

 

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The Kite That Bridged Two Nations by Alexis O’Neill

Windy Days Not Required …
To Enjoy This Story Based On Actual Historical Events

Did you know that April is National Kite Month (officially March 29 – May 4, 2014)? I didn’t until author Alexis O’Neill told me. So what better time than now to review her latest picture book, The Kite That Bridged Two Nations (Calkins Creek, $16.95, Ages 8-11) written by Alexis O’Neill with illustrations by Terry Widener? Just like us on Facebook and/or Twitter and let us know you did for an entry into the giveaway. Scroll down to the comment form to enter and please give us your mailing address in the comment section. Giveaway ends midnight PST on Tuesday, June 3rd. A winner will be chosen by Random.org and notified via email on Weds. June 4, 2014. Good luck!!

CoverSm-KITEBook.jpg
The Kite That Bridged Two Nations: Homan Walsh and the First Niagara Suspension Bridge by Alexis O’Neill with illustrations by Terry Widener, Calkins Creek, 2013.

As a former New Yorker and a fan of Niagara Falls, I was eager to read O’Neill’s book to find out more about The Kite That Bridged Two Nations: Homan Walsh and the First Niagara Suspension Bridge. Perhaps, I wondered, I once even crossed its replacement, The Whirlpool Rapids Bridge, when I visited Niagara Falls long ago. I first heard O’Neill read from this fantastic true tale at an SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conference and marveled at her meticulous research and attention to detail. The free verse she chose to use in the picture book, along with having an older Walsh as narrator looking back on this historic event from his childhood, made it very accessible. I think that’s a big part of what makes this nonfiction story come alive for readers.

Homan Walsh is a 16-year-old who gets the “itch to fly a kite” when he feels the wind blowing just right. In fact, his love of kite flying as well as his uncanny ability to read the wind, has made him one of the best kite fliers around. Widener draws us into the locale of the story with illustrations of Walsh so close to the edge of cliffs along the Niagara that we just have to read on first and foremost to make sure he doesn’t fall. Plus, put on some wool socks because Widener’s frosty, snow covered Niagara scenes will pull you into the pages, bundled up right beside Homan as he braves the cold winter clime to fly his kite. When a handbill announcing a kite-flying contest catches his eye, he’s determined to win the …

$10 PRIZE TO THE FIRST BOY WHOSE KITE STRING SPANS FROM AMERICA TO CANADA

Young Walsh builds his own kite which he names Union with “a thousand feet of string to reach across the gorge.” And though I knew the story had a happy ending, I still found myself rooting for Walsh. In the end pages O’Neill notes she could not substantiate Homan Walsh’s tense relationship with his father as depicted in the book, however her research did indicate he lived apart from his family. So when his second kite-flying attempt to span the gorge proves successful, Walsh wins not only the contest, but the admiration and approval of this father.  He’s also laid the groundwork upon which engineer Charles Ellet, Jr. could string his cable to build a suspension bridge between the two countries.

As if the story alone were not good enough which it most certainly is, O’Neill seems to have read my mind and in the back matter of the picture book she answers the many questions I would have asked her in person. Included are an informative Author’s Note, a Timeline and Selected Sources and online links. Thanks to Alexis O’Neill for taking this seemingly little known story of Homan Walsh out of the archives and into our lives.

I encourage you to also check out this terrific interview with author O’Neill to get her personal account of how The Kite That Bridged Two Nations came to be written.

– Reviewed by Ronna Mandel

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