(3) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Downing. This book provides a fascinating perspective on U.S. presidents by focusing on the personalities and influences of their mothers. Each mom has her own section, descriptive epithet (e.g., Barbara Pierce Bush, "The Outspoken Mother"), amusing anecdote, and cartoonlike portrait; sidebars in varying formats contain important dates and facts. Gherman's engaging text offers vivid characterization of these historic women and their powerful sons. Bib.

Reviewer: Dorcas Hand

(3) 4-6 Gherman's latest biography (Norman Rockwell: Storyteller with a Brush; Ansel Adams: America's Photographer) makes clear that Schulz's Peanuts comic strip reflected the cartoonist's life and his times. The bright design uses colors that recall the Sunday comics and incorporates archival photographs and Schulz's drawings. Gherman's genuine affection for her subject shines through the lively text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(3) YA This solid biography paints an adept psychological portrait of a fascinating and accomplished woman. Anne's courtship and marriage to hero Charles Lindbergh, her own aviation achievements, their celebrity status resulting in the kidnapping and murder of baby Charles, and her development as a writer are all relayed in a straightforward, accessible style. Black-and-white photos illustrate the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(4) YA Presidential Leaders series. These generally informative biographies of six American presidents are marred by some misleading information and jarring transitions. Black-and-white captioned photographs of the subjects and sidebars on relevant people and events extend the text. Report writers will find the basic facts here but will need to look elsewhere for more comprehensive coverage. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind. [Review covers these Presidential Leaders titles: John Adams, Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Abraham Lincoln, and George Washington.]

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(4) YA This handsomely produced book contains fine reproductions of the master nature photographer's work. However, the occasionally haphazard-feeling bio presumes an intimacy with its subject ("From his baby carriage he watched the fog silently and slowly erase the blue sky over his head")--and there is little insight into Adams's artistic process. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Was Norman Rockwell an artist or an illustrator? Is illustration art? What is Rockwell's place in American art history? Gherman cuts through the morass of speculation and focuses on the man, his subjects and techniques, and his legacy. Remarkable for capturing its subject in so limited a space, the book is handsomely designed with ample appended material. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Mary M. Burns | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2000