(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. A mother and son travel through a luminous American landscape as the words of the poem celebrating President Obama's first inauguration reverberate throughout the book. There are no explanations here for the reader, just strong images and strong words: "On the brink, on the brim, on the cusp, / praise song for walking forward in that light."

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Floyd Cooper. Quaker Prudence Crandall created a school for African American girls in largely white 1830s Connecticut. The school's short-lived history ended in violence. Alexander's and Nelson's sonnets, which take on the voices of individual students, create a portrait of a determined community of learners. Cooper's spacious landscapes ground the book, and his portraits have a quiet dignity and elegance.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2007