(2) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Celeste moves to New York, where the Harlem Renaissance is in full swing, to live with her idolized aunt. Celeste deals with Aunti's unpredictability and makes her own mark playing violin. Figures including Duke Ellington make appearances without disrupting the story. Tate can get bogged down in details, but Celeste's wide-eyed observations pull readers into her rapidly expanding world.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2007

(4) 4-6 History Mysteries series. In 1754 New Hampshire, Rebecca discovers a thief in the fort where she and her sister live after their parents' kidnapping by Abenakis; in 1878 Kansas, Ida Kate uncovers the truth about her father's mail-order bride; in 1904 Missouri, Orphelia learns a family secret while she pursues her own dream of performing music onstage. Though formulaic, these well-narrated stories feature accurate historical details, as do the brief afterwords. [Review covers these History Mysteries titles: Enemy in the Fort, Riddle of the Prairie Bride, The Minstrel's Melody.]

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(3) YA Black Stars series. Each book contains over two dozen profiles. Teachers includes Benjamin Banneker, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Marva Collins. Musicians profiles a wide range of figures such as Scott Joplin, Mahalia Jackson, Jessye Norman, and Stevie Wonder. Illustrated with black-and-white photos, these cogent profiles emphasize professional achievements over personal lives. Time lines are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta