(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Twelve-year-old Calvin's farming family endures drought, dust storms, and poverty during the Dust Bowl, clinging to the belief that "next year" will be better. Rain comes too late for his parents to remain, but now-sixteen-year-old Calvin stays to revitalize the farm, looking forward to "next year." The poignant, poetic text and atmospheric dust-hued illustrations serve as a paean to farmers' indomitable spirits.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Lewis and Kelley (And the Soldiers Sang; Harlem Hellfighters) respectfully relate the story of roughly 420 Navajo code talkers who helped the U.S. win World War II by using their native language for secret military communications. Lewis emphasizes the extraordinary nature of their achievement after a century of unjust treatment by the government. Kelley's illustrations evoke classic (and violent) wartime images and Native American iconography. Bib.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(4) YA Voices in Poetry series. Illustrated by Gary Kelley. In these revised editions, excerpts from each poet's work alternate with biographical passages describing major influences or periods in the artist's life. The arty design calls attention to itself; every page is decorated with a photograph (in Shakespeare's case, a drawing) or a themed illustration: flowers for Dickinson, historical postal stamps for Hughes, leaves for Whitman, etc. The tiny type may put off some readers. Ind. Review covers these Voices in Poetry titles: E. E. Cummings, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, William Shakespeare, Edgar Allan Poe, and Walt Whitman.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. The story of an all-black regiment is a revealing lens through which to view the Great War. Lewis brings a stark poetic sensibility to his topic; he references the irony of black men being shipped across the Atlantic, while in Kelley's atmospheric illustrations enslaved men in shackles appear out of the mist. A needed antidote to sentimental WWI books of the centennial year. Bib.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2014

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Yolen presents the broad scope of Dickinson's life in just fifteen graceful sonnets. Told in various voices, from Emily herself and relatives to critics and even Yolen, the poems illuminate the revered poet's background, relationships, reclusiveness, and most importantly, her writing. Like the verse, Kelley's paintings are subdued and dignified. Appended notes elaborate on each sonnet and further readers' understanding.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. This picture book for middle-grade readers offers a fictionalized account of the 1914 Christmas Truce of World War I. A Welsh soldier relates how British and German troops facing each other in trenches of the Western Front ceased their fighting on Christmas Day to engage in songs and friendly games. Kelley's dark, somber pastel illustrations add intensity to this moving story.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 Creative Short Stories series. Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Each volume begins with an evocative frontispiece (the same as the cover image). The main design element within the classic short stories is occasional, and distracting, use of colored font. An illustration of the short story's author accompanies a brief appended biography; a short essay about each text is also included. Review covers these Creative Short Stories titles: The Most Dangerous Game, The Monkey's Paw, The Garden Party, and The Necklace.

Reviewer: Megan Lynn Isaac

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Rappaport (Martin's Big Words, Abe's Honest Words) uses Roosevelt's own quotes to define her growth from insecure, unloved child to reluctant but forceful political voice to respected citizen of the world. The text outlines Eleanor's developing concern for others and lessening self-consciousness. A triple-frame illustration of Eleanor addressing an audience convincingly conveys her metamorphosis and increasing confidence. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2009

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Paganini's life is told through a calculatedly creepy, unintentionally confusing blend of biography and the supernatural, as a gravedigger tells his assistant about the virtuoso nineteenth-century violinist and composer. An appended "postlude" does some (but not much) to help separate fact from speculation. Accomplished dark, brooding, strikingly angular illustrations are reminiscent of Paul Klee's paintings. Bib.

Reviewer: Norah Piehl

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. The complex life of legendary bluesman Robert Johnson is presented through a series of poems, each focusing on a specific place and time in his life. The sometimes abstruse poetry is briefly summarized at the bottom of each page, telling a more accessible version of the story that is further elucidated by the endnotes. Dark, textured illustrations help set the scene. Bib.

Reviewer: Henrietta M. Smith

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. In this handsome picture book for older readers, an Italian man explains how he stole the Mona Lisa from the Louvre in 1911, and why--he was certain that Leonardo would have wanted his painting in his home country, not France. Lewis catches the narrator's egotistical tone, allowing a glimpse into a slightly unbalanced mind, while Kelley's paintings wittily convey the story. Endnotes are included.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: December, 1999

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Irving's classic tale of schoolteacher Ichabod Crane and his encounter with the headless horseman is presented in its entirety. This tall volume is well designed, with plenty of white space around the text. Unlike other illustrators of this story, Kelley doesn't exaggerate the physical attributes of the protagonist or turn him into a caricature. Instead, the color art is naturalistic, atmospheric, and quietly eerie.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Kelley uses pastels to capture the drama of the dance, both in its studio discipline and in its evanescent beauty, while the frankly honest, even immodest, Tallchief reflects on her gifts in the first-person narrative. Her single-minded passion, conveyed in a clear, occasionally poetic text, will hold appeal and meaning for an audience beyond that of hopeful ballerinas.

Reviewer: Susan P. Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2000

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Gary Kelley. Lewis proves himself a stellar student of Lear in an affectionate tribute to "that crazy old Englishman, oh!" Some poems are based on actual events from Lear's life; the introduction states that others are pure nonsense. Dark-hued illustrations provide a seemingly striking contrast to the verses' playfulness, reflecting the starchy world of Victorian England, but a closer look reveals they, too, contain drollery worthy of Lear. A chronology of Lear's life is included.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute