(3) K-3 Illustrated by Annie Bowler. Self-named Peace Pilgrim began to spread her vision for "a golden age of peace, a world with no fighting between people or nations" after World War II. This compassionate biography follows her twenty-eight-year odyssey, walking cross-country seven times with only a few personal care items and maps--but no money. Along the way, she spoke to anyone who would listen and relied on the kindness of strangers for food and a place to sleep. Krull's text is as unhurried as Peace Pilgrim's journey and emphasizes her subject's tenacity. Bowler's reflective illustrations convey Peace Pilgrim's quiet power. An endnote adds more detail about Peace Pilgrim's life and legacy and includes a source list.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Amy June Bates. This portrait of the 2020 Democratic presidential nominee focuses on Joe Biden's childhood and young adult years. The narrative ties together anecdotes showcasing Biden's leadership, compassion, faith, and strong commitment to family, with a focus on his humble upbringing and struggles with stuttering and bullying. Written by his wife--with veteran nonfiction author Krull--this picture book biography is laudatory but not overly so. Warm illustrations contribute to the text's comforting mood. Family tragedies are included in a timeline (current to March 2020). A list of homey "Bidenisms" and a bibliography are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Alexandra Bye. President Roosevelt usually gets credit for the New Deal programs that helped pull America out of the Great Depression, but as Krull's latest picture-book biography (The Beatles Were Fab (and They Were Funny), rev. 5/13) makes clear, the real credit is due to "the first woman ever to join a presidential cabinet," FDR's Secretary of Labor Frances Perkins. A shy and quiet child, Perkins was always thinking about the injustices she saw growing up. Inspired by advice from her grandmother ("when someone opens a door to you go forward"), Perkins would spend her life speaking up for the most vulnerable as a pioneering social worker, suffragist, and author. She helped improve conditions in NYC's low-income neighborhoods and workplaces, and her activism led to a career in the "all-male world of politics." As Secretary of Labor, Perkins proposed "nothing less than a restructuring of American society" with the New Deal and the Social Security Act of 1935. This inspiring biography of a woman who paved the way for so many future leaders (as the cleverly designed endpapers make clear) is long overdue. Krull's straightforward yet passionate narrative is packed with information, succinctly pinpointing key biographical moments and explaining complex history. Direct quotes from Perkins in stylized hand-lettered script accompany Bye's child-friendly digital illustrations, which are as dynamic and colorful as their remarkable subject. An author's note and sources are appended.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2020

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Boris Kulikov. Physicist Stephen Hawking (1942–2018) was brilliant and iconoclastic from the get-go: as a child, he invented fiendishly complicated board games and helped to create an early computer; at Oxford, he sailed through his classes without studying and "only bought textbooks to check them for mistakes." A diagnosis of ALS at age twenty-one was a devastating blow but gave him a focus: "to travel through the universe in [his] mind and try to visualize the ways in which it worked." Despite being given only two years to live, he married, had children, taught, made breakthrough discoveries about black holes, wrote the bestselling A Brief History of Time--and lived until he was seventy-six. Krull and Brewer's text pulls readers in with fascinating information, memorable anecdotes, and (from the subtitle on) appropriate humor (a "daredevil" wheelchair driver, Hawking was rumored to intentionally drive over disliked people's feet, a rumor he denied. "And I'll run over anyone who repeats it"). Kulikov's mixed-media illustrations are multifaceted and inventive, containing visual references that are sometimes clever, sometimes powerful (as when the newly diagnosed Hawking spends hours listening to opera, and the phonograph record looks like a black hole). A deep celestial blue recurs throughout, almost always glowing with stars and planets. Appended with an authors' note, sources for quotations, and a reading list.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2020

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Júlia Sardà. Krull embraces the absurdity of Carroll's writing in her whimsical biographical sketch of the author and the creation of his most famous work, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. She emphasizes the imaginative entertainment he devised for children, creatively incorporating some of his invented words (such as frabjous and mimsy) and including them in an appended glossary. Sardà's fantastical, idiosyncratic illustrations channel Carroll's genius for nonsense.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Nancy Zhang. Krull depicts Ginsburg as a smart, strong, independent woman, whose mother's influence has always stayed with her. Ginsburg's accomplishments and famous dissents are highlighted; large, bold statements drive home Krull's themes. The illustrations' mix of traditional and digital techniques at times lend the characters an unfortunate, out-of-place plastic quality. Explanatory pieces on the Supreme Court and Ginsburg's most famous rulings are appended. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Maple Lam. Krull describes how the good and bad relationships between fifteen sets of siblings helped shape their place in history. The book reads like a gossip column and consists of an odd assortment of famous people, from royals to conjoined twins to athletes. But it's also filled with interesting facts and context-setting grayscale cartoons that should engage readers. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Frank Morrison. This biography of astrophysicist Tyson concentrates on his precocious early years, during which support from his parents and opportunities in his New York City environs outweighed his encounters with racism. The authors' enthusiastic account outlines a clear trajectory to his becoming the science popularizer we know today. Morrison's illustrations use exaggeration to underscore Tyson's curiosity and enthusiasm and frequently incorporate starry skies.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Anna Divito. This follow-up to Krull's A Kids' Guide to America's Bill of Rights includes brief biographies of all the U.S. First Ladies, including Melania Trump. Krull discusses each woman's background, view of their role, and contributions made, with additional sidebar anecdotes. An interwoven timeline also traces the advancement of women's rights during America's history. The casual prose and amusing grayscale illustrations make this a kid-friendly introduction. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Angela Dominguez. Using the theme of rule-breaking to introduce a variety of women, Krull crafts informative and readable biographies. While Krull strives to tell the whole story, certain elements feel out of place or casually thrown in. But the various illustration styles are well matched to their subjects, and for young readers looking for facts about fascinating women, this series fits the bill. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Women Who Broke the Rules titles: Dolley Madison, Judy Blume, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by David Leonard. Using the theme of rule-breaking to introduce a variety of women, Krull crafts informative and readable biographies. While Krull strives to tell the whole story, certain elements feel out of place or casually thrown in. But the various illustration styles are well matched to their subjects, and for young readers looking for facts about fascinating women, this series fits the bill. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Women Who Broke the Rules titles: Dolley Madison, Judy Blume, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Matt Collins. Krull meets the challenge of balancing fact and speculation head-on, occasionally tripping on her modern phrasing ("Hidatsa women helped their economy sizzle") and glossing over certain facts (such as the adoption of Sacajawea's young son by Meriwether Lewis). Collins's paintings support the account, though at times his subjects' facial expressions appear cartoonish. An informative and well-researched offering, despite its pitfalls. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Steve Johnson & Lou Fancher. Using the theme of rule-breaking to introduce a variety of women, Krull crafts informative and readable biographies. While Krull strives to tell the whole story, certain elements feel out of place or casually thrown in. But the various illustration styles are well matched to their subjects, and for young readers looking for facts about fascinating women, this series fits the bill. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers these Women Who Broke the Rules titles: Dolley Madison, Judy Blume, and Sonia Sotomayor.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Amy June Bates. This "updated for 2016" picture-book biography shows Clinton repeatedly surmounting obstacles to reach her goals. Each spread includes straightforward text alongside trite inspirational messages ("Take the lead role in your own life"). Browns and reds dominate the loose-outlined watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations; a few show Clinton looking spacy when she's meant to appear deep in thought. Bib.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Laura Freeman. Lincoln and King, often historically secondary to their more-famous husbands, take the lead in these biographies. Accompanied by cartoony illustrations, these portrayals waver unevenly between illuminating (King had "obey" removed from her wedding vows) and unflattering ("Mary was always nagging...and bragging") as they candidly address controversies surrounding the influential women. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers the following Women Who Broke the Rules titles Coretta Scott King and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis

(4) 4-6 Women Who Broke the Rules series. Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. Lincoln and King, often historically secondary to their more-famous husbands, take the lead in these biographies. Accompanied by cartoony illustrations, these portrayals waver unevenly between illuminating (King had "obey" removed from her wedding vows) and unflattering ("Mary was always nagging...and bragging") as they candidly address controversies surrounding the influential women. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind. Review covers the following Women Who Broke the Rules titles Coretta Scott King and Mary Todd Lincoln.

Reviewer: Andrea Curtis

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Anna Divito. Beginning with the text of the Bill of Rights and an overview of its history and importance, the book is divided into chapters focusing on each amendment. Legal cases (often involving children's rights) are well explained. Final chapters discuss later amendments and constitutional controversies. The casual prose and amusing illustrations make this updated edition a kid-friendly introduction. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. Brief, lively, and informative profiles of some of the world's best-known explorers, plus a few of smaller renown, focus on major accomplishments and discoveries. The discussion also touches on personality quirks and what may have driven their curiosity and wonder in the first place. Caricature-style portraits and relevant maps help tell the stories, which are great for reading aloud. Reading list.

Reviewer: Pam Yosca

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Marcellus Hall. A broadly sketched timeline (beginning "4,400 years ago" and moving through the centuries) details humans' fascination with exotic animals and consequent development of zoos. In ancient times, possession of wild animals indicated ruling power; in more modern times, wildlife in captivity promoted close observation and led to appreciation and conservation. Cartoony illustrations add interest and some humor to the conversational text. Bib.

Reviewer: Paula M. Cairo

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Kathryn Hewitt. Short, lively chapters (ranging from two to five pages) introduce twenty influential scientists of the modern era. Krull emphasizes memorable, and often humorously idiosyncratic, character traits. In addition, she points out historical and societal barriers that so many of the scientists, particularly the women, faced. As in previous volumes, Hewitt provides a big-headed but pristine, almost airbrushed, portrait of each subject. Reading list.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2013