(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. According to legend and the old tar himself, in 1847 Captain Gregory made history when he used a pepper canister to remove the hard-to-cook centers of indigestible cakes known as "sinkers." The playful, cartoony illustrations, a game of cutout circles themselves, match the folksy telling, and both author and artist clearly had fun with their sweet subject. An author's note contains additional quirky facts. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. A German baker leaves his bakery to feed General Washington's troops during the American Revolution and also persuade foreign mercenaries to defect. Lively, white-outlined illustrations styled like iced gingerbread cookies feature humorous dialogue ribbons, and the sprightly text is excellently suited for reading aloud. A gingerbread recipe and an author's note on the life of Christopher Ludwick are included. Bib.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Vincent X. Kirsch. In this unique biography of the patriot and dictionary writer, Ferris seamlessly incorporates words with their definitions--"He wanted to write a DIC-TION-AR-Y (noun: a book listing words in ABC order, telling what they mean and how to spell them)"--creating opportunities for vocabulary development, but also showing what Webster's work was all about. Kirsch's humorous illustrations highlight important moments. Timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2012