(4) 4-6 This companion to Blood on the River continues the story of the Jamestown colony, now through the experience of Virginia Laydon, a child with an uncanny (and somewhat unconvincing) ability to see the future. Carbone includes details about daily life, slavery, tenuous relations with Indigenous tribes, and accusations of witchcraft. It's engaging historical fiction that does not shy away from addressing societal complexities.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Jen Hill. Based on a true story and with illustrations evoking the era, this book follows ten-year-old Diana, who lived in the White House while her father, Harry Hopkins, was President Franklin Roosevelt's chief advisor. Diana gets into mischief until, anxious to help the war effort, she volunteers to tend the White House Victory Garden; her efforts inspire the nation. A warm story with lots of curriculum connections.

Reviewer: Cyrisse Jaffee

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter. When the British steamship Pliny ran aground off New Jersey in 1882, the U.S. Life-Saving Service came to her aid. Carbone's tale revolves around two real-life boys aboard the Pliny, who rethink their fascination with pirates post-rescue: pirates are out, life savers are in. Carpenter's palette creates a strong setting for this spirited tale. An author's note separates fact from fiction.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2012

(3) YA The story's first-person narration alternates between P. K., a girl on the run from boarding school, and Critter, a psych ward escapee. Brought together by their love of rock climbing, P. K. and Critter each face personal demons while tackling some serious climbs. This fast-paced, edgy love story will appeal to teens.

Reviewer: Aimee Chevrette Bear

(2) K-3 Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. When James, a young runaway slave, is caught, his dog, Zeus, distracts James's captors and helps him escape; later Zeus saves James from drowning in the Ohio River. Carbone's vivid narrative is an exciting tale of courage and loyalty. Lewis heightens the tension with lush, dark landscapes; in contrast, the blue of the river leading to freedom looks especially inviting.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2008

(4) YA When her guardians die, Eva searches for the mother who gave her up thirteen years earlier in 1865. The trail leads to Denver, but the mother/daughter reconciliation is far from ideal. Eva's mother, a prostitute, seems hardened by her oppressive economic circumstances and her apparently hopeless future. Despite a pat resolution, this is an unusual glimpse into women's lives.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(2) 4-6 Twelve-year-old Nathan is determined to qualify for membership in the Pea Island surfmen, an African-American life-saving team who rescue shipwrecked sailors off the North Carolina coast. His father is reluctant to let him pursue such a dream, and his reasons reflect the racism still pervasive in post-Civil War America. This thoughtfully crafted first-person narrative combines historical figures with created characters in the best traditions of the historical novel.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2001

(4) 4-6 Newly shorn of her locks, fifth-grader Sarah plays on a boys' basketball team not realizing the team thinks she's a boy. Meanwhile, her friend Christina deals with a difficult teacher, and the pair help classmate Olivia overcome embarrassment about her artificial leg. Despite the book's belabored emphasis on "To thine own self be true," much of the dialogue is funny and believable in this sequel to Starting School with an Enemy.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) 4-6 After moving from Maine to Maryland, fifth-grader Sarah accidentally makes an enemy of her neighbor and classmate Eric, who just happens to be a jerk anyway. When Sarah decides to return Eric's obnoxiousness in spades, her plan backfires, but her older brother convinces her to stop Eric's torment by ignoring him. Middle schoolers will find much to talk about and relate to in this realistic story.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.