(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Slade (A Computer Called Katherine, rev. 7/19; June Almeida, Virus Detective!) follows noted chemist Morgan from her North Dakota childhood working on the family farm to the triumph of watching the rocket that launched the U.S.'s first satellite into Earth's orbit--using fuel she developed--with many obstacles and challenges along the way. Comport's (Wonder Women of Science) illustrations ("a hybrid of collage, digital collage, prisma drawings on vellum, and digital paint") are effective in showing the discrimination Morgan faced as a young female chemist in the 1940s, her isolation surrounded by men, and the wonderment of her accomplishments. Some of the spreads, for example, layer graph-paper squares and scientific formulas over Midcentury-style starbursts and linoleum patterns, appearing more complex in parallel with the difficulty of problems Morgan solved. Detailed back matter includes a timeline of Morgan's life and further biographical information; photographs; more on the rocket and satellite; and an author's note explaining that since such little information about her subject's work was available, Slade "used known facts to creatively fill in a few gaps." An engaging introduction to one woman's mostly unheralded contributions to American space flight.

Reviewer: Laura Koenig | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2022

(3) YA Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Profiles of twelve (mostly American) women in STEM-related fields include lots of direct quotes from the subjects, making their paths to success relatable. Each chapter follows a similar format and includes a full-page portrait and personal photos. Career trajectories highlight "The Spark" and "The Eureka Moment"; notes "to Self" and "to You" and "Words to Live By" offer advice to readers. More about specific topics follow each biography (e.g., "Fission? Fusion? What's the Diff?"). Sixteen suggestions for STEM activities and a reading list conclude the book along with an index and glossary.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 1-3 Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. In these chapter books, pint-sized fourth grader Zayd Saleem chases his dream of playing basketball: making the team (Forward), winning a game (Point), and coping after an injury (Back). In upbeat, humorous, and engaging first-person narration, Zayd confronts challenges on the court and with his friends and Pakistani American family. Well-developed secondary characters, rich cultural content, and occasional black-and-white drawings round out the series. Review covers these Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream titles: Bounce Back, On Point, and Power Forward.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 1-3 Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. In these chapter books, pint-sized fourth grader Zayd Saleem chases his dream of playing basketball: making the team (Forward), winning a game (Point), and coping after an injury (Back). In upbeat, humorous, and engaging first-person narration, Zayd confronts challenges on the court and with his friends and Pakistani American family. Well-developed secondary characters, rich cultural content, and occasional black-and-white drawings round out the series. Review covers these Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream titles: Bounce Back, On Point, and Power Forward.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) 1-3 Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. In these chapter books, pint-sized fourth grader Zayd Saleem chases his dream of playing basketball: making the team (Forward), winning a game (Point), and coping after an injury (Back). In upbeat, humorous, and engaging first-person narration, Zayd confronts challenges on the court and with his friends and Pakistani American family. Well-developed secondary characters, rich cultural content, and occasional black-and-white drawings round out the series. Review covers these Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream titles: Bounce Back, On Point, and Power Forward.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Ancient Egyptian boy Khepri lyrically narrates a boat ride down the Nile that ends in Thebes with his father handing him special reeds for writing. The warm father-son relationship and Khepri's feelings of strangeness at beginning school will help today's readers relate. Illustrator Comport combines the two-dimensionality of ancient Egyptian art with more naturalistic techniques. An appended double-page spread extends Khepri's fictitious story. Reading list. Glos.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2018

(3) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. The focus of this easy reader is the 1963 March on Washington. In addition--and putting that historical moment into context--Nelson introduces the civil rights movement's beginnings in the 1950s along with King's leadership of nonviolent protest. The vocabulary is clear and plain, and the textured illustrations thoughtfully expand the text.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Children living in destitution on a landfill in Paraguay are offered music lessons by environmental engineer Señor Chavez. Since "it wasn't safe" to have expensive instruments, Chavez fashions instruments out of trash; the kids' "Recycled Orchestra" goes on to international acclaim. Comport combines many techniques to create gorgeous, layered art that captures this remarkable, inspiring true story's essence. An author's note adds details. Websites.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Colorful mixed-media art illustrates Martin Luther King Jr.'s six guiding beliefs, focusing on peace-filled love over violence. Watkins, King's niece, cites specific examples of victorious actions, including the desegregation of Montgomery, Alabama, buses and his famous "Letter from Birmingham Jail," explaining with "love and respect" the importance of the fight for equality. The foundation of King's philosophy will resonate with all ages.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Lincoln Borglum was young when his father Gutzon was commissioned to carve Mount Rushmore. Lincoln learned much from his father, and his hard work and skills earned him the honor of finishing the project after Gutzon's death. Interesting details combine with bold acrylic and pastel illustrations to add perspective and significance to this little-known historic figure. Limited follow-up resources weaken the volume. Bib.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. A devious TV host and his cronies kidnap Paul and his grandfather. They want to use Grampa Peter's knowledge of Abenaki lore to lead them to Pmola, the legendary (and dangerous) winged creature of the White Mountains. With a sure hand, Bruchac layers fast-paced adventure with modern Native American culture.

Reviewer: Laura A. Woollett

(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. A simple text, revised and updated, capably introduces some of the children and teenagers who have lived in the White House, including Tad and Willie Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt's rambunctious brood, the Kennedy kids, Chelsea Clinton, and the Obama daughters. A small black-and-white image begins each chapter; some of the accompanying color illustrations are awkwardly proportioned.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Horror motifs mingle with traditional Mohawk legends in this fast-paced, spine-tingling tale of a misfit thirteen-year-old and a vengeful maniac. Baron Braun feels friendless and bullied until the opportunity to use his vast knowledge of bears and his (more limited) outdoorsmanship enable him to save his classmates and a wilderness preserve. Bruchac's development of contemporary Native American identity issues adds heft.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Thirteen-year-old colonist Thomas Savage was given to the Indians to learn their language and act as an interpreter. Fritz fills in the gaps of Thomas's (fictionalized) story by detailing the mess that was Jamestown: the politics, egos, and violence. While this gap-filling includes some interesting information, it also interrupts the narrative flow. Comport's illustrations provide visually pleasing breaks in the dense-looking text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2007

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. The psychopathic kidnapper known as Skeleton Man reappears in this fast-paced sequel, along with his victims, Molly and her parents. He follows them to an isolated mountain resort, and this time he has murderous revenge on his mind. Though the villain is flat and the plot includes a lot of filler, Bruchac adds atmosphere with details from Native American and Mayan folklore.

Reviewer: Mark Adam

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Half-Shawnee, Armie has always had a special connection to animals, so he is not surprised that he can feel the call of a dark force out of a nearby pond. Illustrated with black-and-white art, the novel is part boarding-school story, part exploration of Native American mysticism, and part horror story. While the plot is far-fetched, the first-person narration will draw readers in.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Step into Reading series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. A simple text capably introduces some of the children and teenagers who have lived in the White House, including Tad and Willie Lincoln, the rambunctious kids of Teddy Roosevelt, and the two Johnson daughters, who were married in the White House. A dark black-and-white photo heads each chapter; the color illustrations are murky and sometimes awkwardly proportioned.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) 4-6 Young Reader's Shakespeare series. Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. This accessible prose retelling of one of Shakespeare's best known plays faithfully retains all of the important events and characters of the original play and keeps some of the Bard's most famous lines exactly as he wrote them. For students not ready to tackle the original, this is an able introduction to the brooding prince of Denmark. Paintings in dark tones add atmosphere to the book.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport & Sally Wern Comport. As if speaking to a live audience, Private Reubin Field tells of his adventures as a member of the Lewis and Clark expedition. In this fictionalized account, the energetic storytelling style makes the historical facts lively and immediate; equally vivid illustrations appear every few paragraphs and suggest a sketchbook of the young private's journey. Bib.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Sally Wern Comport. Margaret is determined to discover whether her father's drowning four years ago was an accident or suicide. Her first-person narration alternates with brief chapters that follow a boy named Boyd, who is enthralled with a series of creepy comic books. Margaret and Boyd eventually cross paths, discovering a fateful connection between their two obsessions in this intriguing and offbeat mystery.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2002