(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Before Title IX became law in 1972, girls and women could be excluded from sports programs, fired from jobs, and denied educational opportunities--all "on the basis of sex." In a simple, direct narrative, Becker highlights what life was like pre-Title IX and how the law ushered in opportunities for everyone. Phumiruk's understated digitally created illustrations let the concepts expressed in the text take center stage. Two pages at book's end briefly profile the women (three lawmakers, one academic) who were instrumental in the law's passage. More details on what changed, progress made since, and the work ahead are appended, as is a reading list.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. Crespo gives readers a story of a forest fire and its aftermath from the point of view of one who has been there: a tree. A ponderosa pine, to be exact. This one grew from a sapling in a forest clearing and describes its comfortable surroundings and those who keep it company: a family in a nearby house, animals, and other trees. But one hot and windy summer night, lightning strikes and ignites a massive fire, forcing all to flee, except the rooted-in-place tree. "All I could do...was wait." A double-page spread of vignettes shows firefighters saving animals and fighting flames, and, in a small deviation from point of view, the tree's human neighbors in a local shelter. Finally, "fire lost the battle." Two dramatic illustrations, nearly devoid of color, depict a charred landscape, with our narrator, and a few of its neighboring conifers, still standing. Soon, life returns. Spare prose outlines the process of recovery while the watercolor and digital illustrations provide a full picture of people rebuilding a home and planting seedlings, birds returning, and forest animals adapting to the changed surroundings. Concluding notes, geared to an older audience, trace the general sequence of events in forest fires, beginning with their inception and outlining both the immediate and long-term effects. Appended with a bibliography. See also Wildfire! on page 90.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. This riveting account of the 2018 rescue mission is told from the perspective of Titan, an eleven-year-old survivor, lending immediacy and accessibility to the events. Titan's and his coach's letters, written while trapped in the flooded cave; substantial back matter, including an interview with two divers who helped evacuate the Thai soccer team; and detailed illustrations complement this true story of courage, perseverance, and teamwork. Timeline, websites.

Reviewer: Tanya D. Auger

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. In straightforward text with a folksy refrain of "count on me," this picture book biography introduces the life of math genius, NASA computer, and Hidden Figures notable Katherine Johnson, culminating in her Apollo 13 triumph. Phumiruk's illustrations, created in Photoshop with scans of watercolors and textures, are clean and precise; small figures give way to a dramatic close-up of Johnson calculating the safe flight path home. Bib.

Reviewer: Dorrie Karlin

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Dow Phumiruk. This quiet, contemplative picture-book biography sets up Lin's early fascination with spaces, natural and human-made, and their dynamic relationship with phenomena such as light. Appropriately, the book's muted art has the fine lines, precision, and spatial astuteness of architectural drawings, and Phumiruk's use of perspective (especially in rendering the Vietnam Veterans Memorial) is striking. Harvey's text makes thoughtful, relatable connections between Lin's work and the themes of her life.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2017