(2) YA In alternating first-person accounts and letters, fifteen-year-old Nawra, living in a camp in the Sudan, and K. C., a fourteen-year-old Virginia girl struggling with learning disabilities, find strength in their pen-pal friendship. Nawra's letters are embroidered with Sudanese proverbs; despite believing she is "dumb," K. C. invests her letters with curiosity and spirit. These two correspondents make readers long to learn more about them.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2013

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sue Williams. Filled with familial warmth and joy, this book describes, in lilting verse with a comforting refrain, Ramadan observances. Glowing, textured illustrations using gently rounded lines show a family engaged in holiday activities: spending time together, waiting for their day-long fast to end, preparing food, visiting relatives, attending services at a mosque. A worthy addition to any children's library.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA People's History series. Whitman adeptly traces changes in the American diet and methods of food preparation, starting with the earliest immigrants and Native Americans and concluding with the controversial use of genetic engineering. Interspersed with black-and-white archival photos, the informative text explores advances in farming, the advent of supermarkets and packaged foods, and the effect of class and status on food choice. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anne St. John

(3) 4-6 Picture the American Past series. This series examines important events in American history and how they affected children. Illustrated with numerous tinted photos from the past, each volume contains a clear overview of relevant issues. Related activities ("Understanding Historical Photographs," "A Recipe for Make-Do Cake," etc.) are included at the back of each well-designed volume. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jim St. Claire

(4) 4-6 Picture the American Past series. Short, factual texts and archival duotone photos highlight four groups of children: freed slaves after the Civil War, immigrants at the turn of the century, Dust Bowl victims in the 1930s, and Japanese Americans during World War II. Readers will need additional background knowledge to understand the significance of the historic periods, but these are adequate introductions. Notes to teachers and parents are appended. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Marlene Gawron