(2) K-3 Illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully. Faced with an unjust new tax, Julia and Abby Smith protested: since they couldn't vote, this was taxation without representation. After the sisters’ cows are confiscated, the American Woman Suffrage Association, as well as newspapers nationwide, took up the story. Van Rynbach and Shea appealingly present the resourcefulness of two nineteenth-century women. McCully’s illustrations show the aging sisters and their humorously vivacious cows.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2011

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Monica Vachula. As much a history of American language as it is a biography, this picture book shows how Noah Webster "believed that Americans could and should use their own language to break free totally from England." Though Webster is best known for his lexicography, the engaging text and detailed illustrations present a complete portrait of a driven patriot who helped form a nation. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Chelsey Philpot

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Bethanne Andersen. American-born Patience Wright was a noted wax sculptor--and spy--during the Revolutionary War era. Living in London, she funneled information back to the fledgling democracy. Wright's story is unquestionably compelling, but the narrative doesn't capture its drama completely; the author's note is more engaging. Gouache and pastel illustrations are intricately detailed and provide much of the book's interest and energy. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Mai leaves the Thai refugee camp where she's lived for ten years for a new home in Providence, Rhode Island. There she is torn between Hmong traditions and modern American culture, between her old-world grandmother and her Americanized teen cousins. Despite some amateurish writing, this is an accessible and immediate novel, and a welcome addition to the immigrant-experience canon.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Leane Morin. Two cousins, forced to work in a Pakistani rug factory, meet the child-labor activist Iqbal Masih, and, after his murder, determine to follow his example. The didactic style and static illustrations make this older picture book more informative than involving. Appended material urges readers to find out more and take action. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Tô Ngoc Trang & Tô Ngoc Trang & Pham Viet Dinh & Pham Viet Dinh. This counting book offers a simple description of the activities surrounding the celebration of Tet, the Vietnamese lunar new year ("1 mouse plans a party / 2 mice go to market"). A section at the back provides facts about the holiday and explains the importance of the details in the vibrantly colored embroidered art. This playful look at a cultural tradition can be used with a wide age range.

Reviewer: Anne St. John