(1) YA Here's a rare chronicle of a contemporary, ongoing war. This comic-format "war diary" isn't told from the viewpoint of any one person, although individual perspectives are plentifully represented and woven throughout the narrative in a cohesive fashion. Rather, it's the diary of Mariupol, a port city situated on the far eastern edge of Ukraine. A prologue recounts the shared history of Ukraine and Russia. The narrative then plunges into Russia's invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, and the eighty-three-day siege of Mariupol. Using a spare, understated text that synthesizes basic facts and primary-source quotes, Brown relies on his pen-and-ink and digital paint illustrations to do the heavy lifting of conveying what it's like to live in a war zone. The composition of the panel layouts, the sketchiness of the illustrations, and the black, white, and gray color palette all serve this purpose. The siege wears on, and things go from bad to worse. As the end appears imminent, the resistance retreats to a sprawling steel plant for their last stand and eventual surrender on May 17. By then, ninety percent of the city has been destroyed and twenty thousand civilians killed. An afterword discusses the unfinished business of the war and the legacy of the siege. This powerful work of graphic nonfiction concludes with source notes and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(1) YA In his latest masterful work of narrative nonfiction, Sheinkin's (Most Dangerous, rev. 9/15; Fallout, rev. 11/21) tale of suspense is tinged with the physical and psychological horrors of the Holocaust. When Hitler invades Czechoslovakia, Rudi Vrba, a seventeen-year-old Slovakian Jew, flees to Hungary hoping to get ahead of the ominous changes to his world, but to no avail. He is captured and imprisoned in Majdanek and then in Auschwitz, where he gradually comes to understand the Nazis' systematic method of exterminating the Jewish population of German-occupied territories. Through a combination of determination, intelligence, and fortune, Rudi survives for two years--an eternity in Auschwitz--before he and a friend, Fred Wetzler, manage the impossible: escape. Their journey back to Slovakia is fraught with peril, but when they do arrive, they deliver harrowing testimony that lays bare to the outside world the depth of Nazi depravity. Sheinkin artfully balances Rudi's story with expository information about the progression of World War II and the Holocaust. A subplot follows Gerta Sidonova, Rudi's schoolmate and future wife, during this time frame; the juxtaposition adds depth, texture, and context. The epilogue is fittingly ruminative and poignant. An author's note, source notes, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Selina Alko. In this quiet but immediate nonfiction picture book, Stelson (A Bowl Full of Peace, rev. 7/20) tells the story of the 669 children evacuated from Czechoslovakia via the Kindertransport in the late 1930s, to escape the Nazis, with the help of Nicholas Winton. The first-person-plural narration mainly sticks to the collective point of view of the children, letting readers experience their bewilderment first at the early signs of war and persecution and then at the unexplained "holiday to England" without their parents; occasional "none of us knew" asides hint at the help Winton was providing behind the scenes. As time passes and the war ends, the narrators find out (along with readers) that most of their parents have perished during the Holocaust, and they later learn Winton's identity. The in-the-moment text combines with emotional acrylic, colored-pencil, and collage illustrations in Alko's (I Is for Immigrants, rev. 9/21) signature style to create a dreamlike atmosphere. Extensive back matter provides further context; a note explains that five of the children in the illustrations represent specific individuals among "Winton's children," and a quote from the mother of one of them, Vera Gissing, inspired the titular star motif. Pair with Sis's Nicky & Vera: A Quiet Hero of the Holocaust and the Children He Rescued (rev. 5/21).

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2023

(1) K-3 At the end of 1938, when the Germans invaded the border region of Czechoslovakia, a young Englishman named Nicky arranged for the transport of 669 children from there to England, where they were settled with families to live out the war. In this remarkable book, Sís weaves Nicky's story with that of Vera, a Czech child who was one of those Nicky saved. The story does not end with the transport but includes the post-war years as Vera returns to Czechoslovakia in search of her parents and cousins (none survived) and returns to England for good; and as Nicky's quiet, productive life unfolds. Sís tells this multi-stranded tale in prose that is as understated as Nicholas Winton (as Nicky is eventually identified in the back matter) was himself and in illustrations that capture the complexity and heartbreaking emotion of the tale. For example, Vera kept a diary during the war, and Sís illustrates the years during which Vera lived with her foster family against a grid of diary pages; small squares include drawings such as a child with a violin, fish and chips, and a radio, all representing her years growing up in England. On subsequent pages, text overlays more journal pages, these covered with minuscule handwriting as time passes and Vera searches for family. In a final spread, when an elderly Nicholas Winton is publicly recognized for his quiet heroism and introduced to the adults he saved as children, each adult faces a seated Winton, and, inside each outline, Sís has drawn the child they were when they left Czechoslovakia. This is an exceptional story told with a powerful combination of words and pictures to engage both those who know some history of the Holocaust and those new to the topic. An appended note tells more about Nicholas Winton and Vera Diamantova.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2021

(2) YA Consummate historical-fiction writer Wein here exercises her considerable skill as researcher, historian, and storyteller in a capacious history of the USSR’s three regiments of airwomen during WWII. Wein takes us deep into the training, daily lives, combat, and intense personal commitment these women experienced throughout the war. An easy, friendly writing style invites readers into the company of a formidable sisterhood. Illustrated throughout with maps and period photographs. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2019

(3) 4-6 Captured Science History series. This installment in the Captured History spinoff series examines the 1986 Chernobyl nuclear spill in Ukraine and the photographic documentation of it. The chilling photos by Igor Kostin, Volodymyr Repik, and others shook the world when they were released. An engaging and thought-provoking discussion of the disaster's scientific and historical impact is profusely illustrated with these archival images. Reading list, timeline. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Ready-to-Read: Living in... series. Illustrated by Tom Woolley. A young girl in modern Russia walks us through a day in her life, sharing tidbits of Russian history, geography, and culture along the way. Friendly digital illustrations accompany an engaging beginning-reader text, which provides a level-appropriate amount of information on topics such as the Trans-Siberian Railway, Peter the Great, and the Bolshoi Ballet. Additional facts are appended. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) K-3 Illustrated by William Low. Freedman (posthumously) tells the story of the seventeenth-century Swedish warship Vasa, from its tragic sinking on its maiden voyage to its eventual recovery and restoration as a museum piece. Freedman's clear prose conveys facts and paints a picture with equal skill. The winning combination of engrossing narrative with Low's atmospheric, evocative illustrations should appeal to fans of shipwreck stories, history, and undersea archaeology. Bib.

Reviewer: Russell Perry | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2018

(2) 4-6 Readers meet the German theologian and pastor who was executed for participating in a failed assassination attempt on Hitler. Hendrix deftly contrasts Bonhoeffer's and Hitler's biographical details against the larger World War II backdrop. The book effectively employs hand-lettered typeface, comic-panel layouts, spot art, vivid two-color illustrations, occasional maps, and striking political-cartoon-style editorial illustrations. The result is that this heavily textual book is also a highly visual one. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2018

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Huge," "Historic," "Stunning") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on each cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries We Come From titles: Russia, England, Germany, and Ukraine.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Huge," "Historic," "Stunning") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on each cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries We Come From titles: Russia, England, Germany, and Ukraine.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Huge," "Historic," "Stunning") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on each cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries We Come From titles: Russia, England, Germany, and Ukraine.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) K-3 Countries We Come From series. In a visually attractive but superficial introductory series, each volume begins with fairly vague descriptive words (e.g., "Huge," "Historic," "Stunning") paired with bright photos. A smattering of facts about geography, animals, history, language, jobs, culture, and food follow, accompanied by engaging photos. Although a child appears on each cover, no personalizing anecdotes are included. "Fast facts" appended. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Countries We Come From titles: Russia, England, Germany, and Ukraine.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(3) 4-6 Adapted by Mary Cronk Farrell. Irena Sendler was a Christian Polish woman who rescued thousands of Jewish children during WWII. The emotion-filled, narrative-style text includes invented dialogue and attribution of thoughts and feelings; these inserted "fly-on-the-wall" moments were "based on the archives and historical sources," and an adapter's note and copious endnotes provide details. Photographs are interspersed, adding personal faces to the horrifying history.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) 4-6 In April 1943, the Gestapo arrested pacifist Lutheran minister Dietrich Bonhoeffer for attempting to assassinate Hitler. Alongside Bonhoeffer's religious calling and theological contributions, McCormick chillingly details Hitler's rise to power. When Bonhoeffer could not gather support from the religious community to fight Hitler, he decided to "sin boldly." Questions of moral authority drive the story; archival photographs supplement the text. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2016

(3) 4-6 Cause-and-Effect Disasters series. Sherman explores the nineteenth-century Irish potato disaster in four succinct chapters addressing its economic and political causes and effects. She provides historical background before relating the major events and their far-reaching aftermath (including modern research tracing the original source of the crop's disease to Mexico). Numerous photographs/illustrations, diagrams, sidebars, and a clear appended flow chart round out the presentation. Reading list, websites. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(3) 4-6 Williams successfully distills one-hundred-fifty years of English history into a picture book examining the lives of Tudor royalty, explorers, and artists. Vibrant mixed-media comic-strip-style illustrations with amusing speech bubbles illuminate the informative text narrated by a young scribe with asides from his droll ferret. In parallel, the plight of the poor runs across the bottom of spreads in a Bayeux Tapestry homage.

Reviewer: Jessica Bushore

(3) K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These serviceable overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter in each book often highlights a holiday or festival (Turkey features a particularly fantastic photo of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar). Four chapters then focus on land, government and cities, people and cultures, and daily life. A "Global Connections" page is usually devoted to a social issue. Fast facts are appended. Maps, reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these One World, Many Countries titles: Russia, Ireland, France, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Turkey.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt

(4) 4-6 Searchlight Books: Do You Know the Continents? series. This boilerplate series provides basic information about the continent it covers in serviceable but generic prose. Europe's scope of diversity and history feels constrained by the formula of the series. Brief chapters provide information on countries and cities, climate, landforms, natural resources, people, cultures, and economics. Colorful stock photos, maps, and sidebars appear throughout. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 One World, Many Countries series. These serviceable overviews for report writers are liberally illustrated with sharp photos. An introductory chapter in each book often highlights a holiday or festival (Turkey features a particularly fantastic photo of Istanbul's Grand Bazaar). Four chapters then focus on land, government and cities, people and cultures, and daily life. A "Global Connections" page is usually devoted to a social issue. Fast facts are appended. Maps, reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these One World, Many Countries titles: Russia, Ireland, France, Sweden, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Italy, and Turkey.

Reviewer: Melinda Greenblatt