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Waldman, Neil
10 Reviews
(4)
4-6
Thirteen subjects--both the usual suspects (Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks) and some welcome additions (Sitting Bull, Emma Lazarus)--are profiled in this sampler of American politicians and activists who famously worked for equality and justice. A double-page spread is devoted to each figure. Waldman's stately yet humanizing commemorative portraits are more compelling than the rather skimpy text. Source notes.
Reviewer: Nell Beram
(3)
4-6
Using excerpts from political speeches, recorded family reminiscences, and Lincoln's own writing, Waldman successfully gives voice to young Abe's thoughts on slavery and earning an honest living as he travels up and down the Mississippi River on a flatboat. Sepia-tone illustrations and yellowed pages enhance the journal-like presentation of this fictionalized biography. Source notes are included.
Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale
(3)
K-3
Tracing a snowflake's journey from January to December, from flake to droplet and back again, provides a way to explain the ever-shifting course of the water cycle. Each month and stage of the snowflake's journey is depicted on a separate double-page spread featuring calming, muted images. The inspired format and occasionally poetic text enliven and clarify a potentially confusing subject.
Reviewer: Jim St. Claire
(3)
4-6
Waldman re-creates the dramatic history of Masada from its construction as Herod's fortress through the defeat of the Jewish Zealots in 73 C.E. to Yadin's 1963 archaeological dig. An author's note provides more information about the myths and facts surrounding the fortress. A timeline and a list of sources for Waldman's somber illustrations are included. Bib., glos., ind.
Reviewer: Amy Kellman
(3)
K-3
A young boy and his family escape from the Jewish ghetto in Lithuania and arrive in barren Israel. One night the boy dreams that the land is covered with trees, not desert, and the next day he sets out to reforest the hills, one seedling at a time. The dancing lines and brilliant colors of the impressionistic art portray a vibrant and hopeful world.
Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.
(3)
4-6
A compelling look at the early history of the Jewish people focuses on the covenant initiated by God that binds Abraham and his descendants to the land we now call Israel. Extensive biblical quotations are used, but it is the intimate, passionate voice of the storyteller that is the book's strength. An elongated trim size lends elegance, as do the many striking paintings throughout.
Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn
(2)
4-6
Although Waldman offers broad explanations for the consequences of misunderstanding both Western motivations and the Lakota culture, he does not dwell on individual reasons for particular actions, choosing instead to outline what the pertinent figures did and allow readers to draw their own conclusions about the underlying purposes and objectives. Bib., ind.
Reviewer: Betty Carter
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
July, 2001
(4)
K-3
This picture-book overview looks at the history of Jerusalem over three thousand years, focusing mainly on the period from Moses' time through Muslim rule and concentrating on Jewish experience. The soft paintings, on cream-colored, textured paper, give an air of formality to the straightforward text. Waldman includes a time line, but a list of additional references would have made the book more useful.
Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth
(4)
K-3
In a fantasy, a young boy shows Vincent van Gogh around his hometown of New York. Pen and ink illustrations are augmented with paintings of the Big Apple that mimic Van Gogh's style. Before mysteriously disappearing, Vincent takes Bernard to the Museum of Modern Art, inspiring him to begin drawing. Though predictable and somewhat thin, the story may speak to budding artists.
Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander
(3)
4-6
Waldman re-creates the dramatic history of Masada from its construction as Herod's fortress through the defeat of the Jewish Zealots in 73 C.E. to Yadin's 1963 archaeological dig. An author's note provides more information about the myths and facts surrounding the fortress. A time line and a list of sources for Waldman's stark black-and-white illustrations are included. Bib., glos., ind.
Reviewer: Amy Kellman
10 reviews
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