(2) K-3 Illustrated by Theodore, III Taylor. This picture-book biography of renowned the African American entomologist (1867–1923) highlights his lifelong scientific curiosity and powers of observation. His "indefatigable" grit shines through as he searches to discover, for example, if bees can identify color. Turner's belief that "biology could help people see the connections among all living things" gave him hope as he experienced racial prejudice in the early-twentieth-century South. Harrington's text uses powerful cadences and well-chosen repetition. Taylor's clean-lined digital illustrations spotlight the scientist at work in the lab and outdoors. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) YA Formaldehyde in milk, cocaine in toothache drops, sausage made from pulverized meat scraps swept off factory floors along with rat feces. "At the dawn of the twentieth century, few people had a clue that they were regularly being ripped off, drugged, and poisoned." More and more Americans were living in towns and cities, and, instead of producing their own fruits, vegetables, and meats, they bought food from stores. They didn't know who made the food they were consuming, and there was little regulation of the food industry. Jarrow (Bubonic Panic, rev. 3/16; Spooked!, rev. 9/18) traces the story of Dr. Harvey Washington Wiley, now known as the "Father of the FDA," who devoted his life to getting the federal government to take responsibility for protecting consumers from poisonous products. No longer would radium be used to paint watch faces, or deadly nightshade in baby teething tablets. It's a fascinating horror story and an important study of real-life heroes who stood up and fought for government intervention on behalf of the American people. The book's open layout and plentiful archival photographs, advertisements, and other visuals enhance accessibility and interest. Thorough back matter includes a (necessary) glossary, meticulous source notes, a lengthy bibliography, an index, and a "More to Explore" guide.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2020

(3) YA Miller explores Lee's life and times in this accessible and thorough biography for middle- and high-school students. Moving beyond the myths (both positive and negative) associated with Lee, Miller examines and unpacks his complicated and tumultuous family history and fills in details about his life before and after the Civil War. Black-and-white archival images help provide a sense of time and place. Timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Terry Widener. This excellent picture-book biography covers Yankees catcher Yogi Berra as both baseball player and cultural icon known for his "Yogi-isms." Rosenstock captures young Berra's love of sports (and aversion to school); his struggles making it into the major leagues; his reactions to hurtful comments about his homely appearance; and his passion for the game. Widener's illustrations in vibrant, appropriately brawny acrylics ably capture Berra's short stature and big personality. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(4) 4-6 Borden's admiration for American Pete Seibert's skill as a skier and his heroism as a WWII soldier in the Italian Alps is clear, but her writing is uncharacteristically colorless. However, text laid out as free verse makes for extremely accessible reading, and archival photographs appear prominently throughout the spacious design. There's not a ton of information here, but back matter directs readers to more in-depth material. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA This detailed and devastating account of the House Un-American Activities Committee and "The Hollywood Ten" explores the HUAC's attack on First Amendment rights. This proved to be a precursor to the rise of McCarthyism in the 1950s, which destroyed the lives of many innocent Americans. Brimner effectively utilizes transcripts from the hearings, archival photos, and secondary sources to document the events. An author's note makes the connection between "then and now." Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) YA Cyrus Field's funding of a transatlantic cable across Newfoundland and the Atlantic Ocean to Ireland was a costly and arduous venture, often delayed by violent storms and human error. Cowan's meticulously detailed biography provides insight into the particular persistence that drove Field's project as well as into nineteenth-century urban life. Archival drawings and photos (inexplicably blue-tinged) enhance the information. Reading list, timeline, websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(3) K-3 Illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. The 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike is not often covered in picture books, despite its being Dr. King's final march before his assassination. In a poignant mix of poetry and prose, fictional child Lorraine Jackson shares her family's story of resistance as she helped her sanitation-worker father fight for fair wages and safer working conditions. Christie's rich gouache paintings illustrate the honest portrayal of an intense historical moment. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Monique Harris

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Alison Jay. Hannigan's lively picture-book biography of Belva Lockwood (1830–1917) focuses on Lockwood's lifelong fight against injustice, especially toward women. She became the first woman to argue before the Supreme Court and run for president, even before women had the right to vote. Hannigan's liberal quoting of her subject brings Lockwood's story to life, as do Jay's period-reminiscent crackled oil-paint illustrations. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) YA In this fourth story about the Honeycutts (Blue; Comfort; Aim), fourteen-year-old twins Ellie and Ida grow apart as the family struggles to cope with Daddy's post-war trauma. Alternating narratives (with the occasional free-verse entry) relate each sister's unique interests and progression on her own life path. The 1952 setting, with social tensions including the Korean War and the polio epidemic, makes a compelling backdrop to this coming-of-age story. Reading list, websites.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(2) 4-6 In 1938, Orson Welles's War of the Worlds radio broadcast caused widespread panic and hysteria. Jarrow infuses her tightly plotted narrative with plenty of drama and suspense while weaving in sufficient background information, biographical vignettes, and play-by-play commentary to establish context. She concludes with a discussion of some subsequent hoaxes. Despite the book's somewhat stodgy design, it's an admirable feat of nonfiction storytelling. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib., ind.

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

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Michele Wood. Rockliff writes in an upbeat, toe-tapping first-person voice to tell the story of lesser-known black jazz pianist Lil Hardin, who was accomplished before she met and married jazz great Louis Armstrong. Wood's bold, naive acrylic paintings nicely match the era and subject. Photos, additional biographical information, and a list of songs complete the volume. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Christina Dorr

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham. Rosenstock taps the Southern vernacular to tell the story of bluegrass pioneer Monroe (1911–96), who lived a hardscrabble life in Kentucky before making his mark on the world. Fotheringham's art can be marvelously inventive, as when the curved neck of an outsize banjo in the grass illustrates, "He looked for an instrument to rush the music along like a mountain stream." An appendix includes photos. Bib.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(2) 4-6 Brimner's narrative about the 1961 Freedom Ride from Washington, DC, to New Orleans and the civil rights events leading up to it focuses in particular on the violent, turbulent days when the thirteen riders ventured into the Deep South. He recounts the highlights, but the main attraction of this book is its photographs. A striking and spacious book design with black-and-white images provides immediacy. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2017

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by John O'Brien. Castrovilla chronicles the relationship between André and Arnold as the two conspired during the Revolutionary War to aid the British in capturing West Point. The failed mission resulted in André's being captured and hanged while Arnold safely defected to the British, earning him a legacy as a traitor. Full-page pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations enhance the readable picture-book narrative. Timeline, websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 In 1954 Detroit, twelve-year-old Marjorie Campbell knows that the U.S. is in a "cold war," but it can be hard to tell who the enemy is. When classmates start a "slam book" about a new German student, Marjorie is torn. Her authentic first-person voice guides readers through the confusion of the McCarthy era by thoughtfully examining perception and truth. An author's note adds context. Bib.

Reviewer: Lisa Catherine Findlay

(4) YA Kops profiles Alice Paul, a prominent U.S. suffragist and women's rights activist, and gives glancing attention to intersectional issues. Frequently jailed, Paul led hunger strikes and argued for a combative approach to activism while others warned against such "undignified actions." Paul's story, inherently thrilling and inspiring, is undermined by the book's staid design and narration. An author's note and "Who Is Who" bios are appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(4) YA This biographical novel about twentieth-century American photographer Margaret Bourke-White covers her early life and career in great detail, including her New Jersey schooling, young marriage, and growing skill and confidence as a female photographer in a male-dominated art world. Meyer depicts Bourke-White's life with minimal embellishments; the result is a sometimes-dull and overlong account of a groundbreaking life. Author's note included.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) YA This dual biography follows Civil War soldiers George E. Stephens and James Henry Gooding, who enlisted in the Union's first all-black regiment. The men were also war correspondents, carefully documenting racial bias, unfair laws, and unequal pay for African American soldiers. Shepard's narrative, accompanied by archival photographs, provides insight into the enduring struggles for racial equality following the Emancipation Proclamation. Reading list, timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) YA Speno chronicles a first-of-its-kind footrace from Los Angeles to New York born of the intersections between professional sports, infrastructure development, and the public's appetite for spectacle in the Roaring Twenties. The epic, multidimensional tale has built-in appeal, but the telling is often disjointed; some racialized descriptions of competitors (e.g., "Part Cherokee, Andy seemed to have running in the blood") detract from the whole. Reading list, websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross