(2) K-3 Following the same format as The House by the Lake (rev. 9/20), Harding and Teckentrup tell the story of the building where Anne Frank and seven others hid from the Nazis in WWII Amsterdam. The narrative begins in 1580 when the future building site is a bucolic marsh. Amsterdam grows rapidly during the late 1500s; the titular canal is created in the early 1600s, and in 1635 a stonemason builds the house and annex for his family. Over the next three hundred years, the house welcomes different families (e.g., a woman and her twelve children fleeing religious persecution), businesses, and for a while some horses in need of a stable. Neglected, it’s repaired over and over, including after a fire in 1884. ­Teckentrup’s textured mixed-media illustrations keep the pages engaging -- not an easy assignment when the setting is the same throughout. While Harding’s accessible text is light on details, a helpful endnote provides more information about inhabitants and businesses mentioned in the main text, including the tragic fate of Otto Frank’s family during the Holocaust and how he worked to preserve Anne Frank Huis for future generations. Readers don’t need to be familiar with Anne’s diary to appreciate the history of the house and its environs, but for those that are, this adds rich context.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Melissa Castrillón . This meticulously researched and dramatically narrated picture book tells the story of Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes, who at great personal risk and sacrifice saved thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi-occupied southern France. In "what may have been the greatest individual act of rescue in all of World War II," he defied his government and in a twenty-three-day period in 1940 issued thousands of forbidden visas, ensuring safe passage into Portugal. The text is thoroughly informative as well as immediate and suspenseful; illustrations are eye-catching and lively (although the use of flags rather than names to identify countries on the maps seems less than ideal in such a location-dependent story). Unusually for a picture book, this is appended with an extensive bibliography and detailed source notes, plus an author's note and timeline.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jacqueline Tam. Too young to understand the reason for the war but nevertheless affected by it, Shu Lok sets out with his family, minus his parents, into China in the wake of the Japanese invasion of Hong Kong in 1941. Along the way, he experiences many hardships but finds the strength to endure from his baba’s parting words: “Be powerful like a dragon.” He adopts the dragons’ noble spirit and tends to his travel companions, easing their mental and physical loads throughout the trek until the group finds refuge. Cheng’s narration alternates between describing the sensory and emotional details of Shu Lok’s day-to-day experiences and painting broader strokes that convey the vast geographic distance and extended timeline of the arduous journey. Tam’s digital illustrations complement the text well, expanding and contracting in scope between close-ups of Shu Lok and his fellow travelers and landscapes that take up a full spread with the humans as tiny figures dwarfed by the terrain. The strategic use of lines for coloring and shading adds texture, depth, and movement to the illustrations. Sinuous shapes and suggestive shadows hiding in plain sight keep the dragon motif alive on pages where the creatures are not explicitly depicted. An author’s note filling in the family history (Shu Lok is Cheng’s uncle) and the historical context for the narrative is appended.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2025

(1) YA On Saturday, November 18, 1978, more than nine hundred members of Jim Jones’s Peoples Temple died at Jonestown in Guyana. Though the event was originally described as a mass suicide, it eventually became known that many, including infants, children, and the elderly, were murdered. Early chapters present a biographical treatment of Jones, covering his boyhood, marriage, and early Christian ministry in Indiana. Uncharacteristically for the time, his congregations were racially integrated, and they appealed to many as the civil rights era dawned. Eventually, in 1965, he moved Peoples Temple to California, shed ­Christianity in favor of socialism, and began steadily to exert control over every facet of his group, including members’ property, income, and relationships. Jones often used gross manipulation and deception to do so, and increasing scrutiny drove him to Guyana. When Congressman Leo Ryan came for an investigative visit, it set the tragic events in motion. It’s a testament to ­Fleming’s storytelling prowess that the book becomes more and more compelling despite our knowledge of the outcome. If some of her recent titles have contained elements of true crime, this one (along with Murder Among Friends, rev. 3/22) also dabbles in another genre: horror. Black-and-white captioned photo­graphs are gathered in the middle and at the end of the book. An annotated list of key people prefaces the volume, while an author’s note, sources, a bibliography, and an index are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2025

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Elizabeth Baddeley. In 1903, when Vermont doctor Horatio Nelson (1872-1955) began his attempt to cross the United States in an automobile he had yet to learn to drive, cars were still seen as a novelty, and the idea of an interstate highway system couldn't even be dreamt of. Over nine weeks, with many starts and stops, Nelson and young mechanic Sewall Crocker raced from San Francisco to New York, attempting to complete the unprecedented feat in less than three months. Thanks to the press the journey garnered, it convinced many that horseless carriages could someday be dependable modes of long-distance transportation. McAnulty's witty telling of Nelson's grand adventure is a delight. Interesting and comedic details are given center stage here, informing readers and providing compelling suspense. Baddeley's digital illustrations effortlessly convey the many ups and downs (and breakdowns) of the trip while matching the jovial tone of McAnulty's text. Bright colors pop off the page with comic-style inserts acting as snapshots of the trip. Back matter includes a map of their route with an inset timeline as well as a listing of "fun facts" and source notes. A riveting episode from history presented with joy, laughter -- and a precious canine companion.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Selina Alko. In 1966, a "trusted keeper [of stories]" (identified in the back matter as the library at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City) suffered a terrible fire, which destroyed thousands of books and other items, many not found elsewhere -- including books and ritual objects that had been rescued from the Nazis. Books that didn't burn were waterlogged and becoming more damaged by the minute. But through the help and persistence of the surrounding community, all was not lost. Idea after idea was proposed, but the ultimate solution was a simple yet elegant one that saved 170,000 volumes: layering paper towels between the pages of each sodden book. This story focuses equally on the effort that brought a community together, on the importance of libraries as repositories of stories, and on the books themselves as representatives of history and culture. Evocative illustrations combine painting and collage, including words in multiple languages, with occasional references to specific titles and others to language and content more generally. The narrative ends with the resonant refrain "our stories were not consumed." Back matter includes information about the Jewish Theological Seminary Library, a brief bibliography, and period photographs of the fire and its aftermath. An author's note provides additional historical context and draws contemporary connections between the fire, the importance of books, and the divisiveness of our current society.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2025

(3) YA This absorbing and accessible collection highlights Indigenous voices across history and contemporary times. Through profiles of poets, novelists, artists, and historians, the authors present a nuanced narrative of Indigenous resilience and creativity. Stunning photos, archival images, and sidebars enrich the reading experience, while difficult histories are addressed with honesty. Though somewhat loosely structured, the book’s powerful storytelling and diverse perspectives make it a valuable and enlightening read. Back matter includes an afterword, sources, resources, image credits, and an index.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Yazzie Johnson. This informative picture book on the theme of "paying it forward" highlights the decades-long relationship between the Irish people and Indigenous communities in the United States. It opens with an acrylic painting of a young girl in a yellow dress running through a field of potato plants turning from healthy and green to wilted and brown. Readers learn that this is the start of the potato famine that plagued Ireland for five years beginning in 1845, during which millions of people died and two million immigrated to the United States, Britain, and Canada. When the Choctaw Nation, "still healing from their own hardships," heard of the Irish people's plight, they donated money to help send aid to Ireland. They felt like kindred spirits, or shilombish ittibachvffa, having lost lands and thousands of lives during the Trail of Tears from 1831–1834. Then in 2020, when COVID-19 threatened the Hopi and Navajo nations, the Irish people in turn sent aid. Yazzie's bold, vigorous illustrations reflect both the suffering and the strength of the afflicted communities. He also includes depictions of the Kindred Spirits statue the Irish government built to commemorate the support given by the Choctaw during the famine. Back matter provides greater detail about the Trail of Tears, the Great Famine, and the ongoing relationship between the Irish and the Choctaw.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(2) YA Illustrated by Mithil Thaker. In his latest work of narrative nonfiction, Bascomb (recently The Race of the Century, rev. 3/22) delivers a clear and absorbing account of Mohandas Gandhi's ("or, as many of his countrymen called him, 'The Mahatma' [Great Soul]") Salt March and its impact on the world. The book details how Gandhi (1869–1948), educated in London, spent two decades in South Africa developing and applying his theory of nonviolence before returning to India. When he devised his civil disobedience campaign of marching to the sea to collect salt in protest of the heinous British salt tax, he was accompanied by several dozen devout followers. The 1930 march helped to unite the diverse country behind Gandhi and brought attention to the unjust violence of the British occupiers. The book provides perspective on how the Salt March transformed the Indian independence movement in important ways, although complete independence would not happen for another fifteen years. Bascomb covers a lot of ground in these pages, in terms of both chronology and geography. A map would have been welcome, but portraits of the leading characters preface the narrative, and occasional black-and-white illustrations add visual interest. A bibliography, source notes, and an index (unseen) are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) YA In the early part of the twentieth century, the arid climate and desert landscape of the American Southwest limited development. The Colorado River, which passes through seven states (Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, Nevada, and California) was notoriously unpredictable: occasionally changing course, frequently flooding, and always bringing mud and silt. Building Hoover Dam, then, required persistence, fortitude, and resources, but, in turn, it provided electricity, irrigation, recreation, and -- during the height of the Great Depression -- jobs. Weaving compelling facts and human stories into a cohesive narrative, Boughton explores the dam's political, economic, social, and environmental impacts on the region. He traces the need for a system of dams to control and regulate water; the engineering feats and specific labor skills that would be required to build the great dam at such a breakneck pace; and how the experience shaped the lives of those who built it. The final chapter and epilogue discuss how overreliance coupled with drought has imperiled the Colorado River, threatening several of its reservoirs with "dead pool," the inability of water to flow downstream. The book includes numerous well-chosen black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams, and primary source quotes throughout the text, while a timeline, additional maps, source notes, a bibliography, and an index (unseen) are appended.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. A grandfather tells his grandson about two small animals who love Tewa'á:raton (lacrosse). Mouse and Squirrel are rebuffed when they ask to join Team Four Legs and Team Wings. But Eagle has an idea that lets the flightless duo soar, leading Team Wings to victory and to Mouse’s and Squirrel’s new names: Bat and Flying Squirrel. Crisply rendered illustrations reward repeat readings. Mohawk author-illustrator David (Who Will Win?, rev. 3/23) offers beginning readers another entertaining Indigenous tale; helpful information precedes the story.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(1) YA Bletchley Park, a World War II cryptology center, operated in the English countryside where an extensive and complicated code-breaking operation allowed the Allies to decipher secret messages sent through German Enigma machines. Those transmissions included enemy plans for naval attacks, ship locations, ground positions, and bombing targets, and Fleming (Crash from Outer Space, rev. 11/22, among many others) reveals that the feat of decoding the thousands of pieces of information every day was largely executed by teenage girls and young women. Recruited with little or no knowledge of what their jobs would be, the code breakers were sworn to secrecy--an oath that would remain unbroken for over thirty years. Fleming's account focuses on ten such young women (one of whom is an offsite radio operator) but, in a masterful presentation of related subject matter, seamlessly intersperses segments on larger historical events, beginning with the Battle of Britain and concluding with V-J Day; clear and thorough explanations of codes and ciphers; and technical advances that led to the use of computers. The girls' personal experiences, from coping with housing shortages, to falling in love, to discovering their future life's work, adds another dimension. Amid the often-tedious work of breaking the ciphers, moments of humanity appear: the joy of pinpointing an enemy bombing target on British soil; the recognition that a freshly bloodstained Nazi cipher book meant "somewhere this German airman was still bleeding, dying maybe...That really did bring the war close." Appended with an author's note, a bibliography of both primary and secondary sources, source notes, and an (unseen) index.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) 4-6 Translated by Marilyn Parra. Honyouti (Hopi, Iswungwa/Coyote clan) is an award-winning carver. His low-relief carved and painted scenes serve as the desert-colored illustrations for this gently told and moving book about his grandfather's Native American boarding school experience. Most of the illustrations have a slightly three-dimensional effect, both from the actual underlying carved wood and from subtle shading that provides a sense of realism to the highly stylized depictions of landscapes and interiors. Occasional gray and beige illustrations evoke historical photographs. This distinctive style lends itself to the account, which follows a sadly familiar trajectory, outlining the history of forced assimilation of school-aged Native American children stolen from their homes by the U.S. government. Honyouti also references the 1895 imprisonment in Alcatraz of nineteen Hopi men, dubbed "Hostiles," who were arrested in part because they opposed the boarding schools. In addition to the carved scenes, which emulate traditional Hopi art, what sets this book apart is its bilingual text and the appended notes on history and learning, translation, and art. Parra's translation of the text into Hopi Third Mesa dialect is a great example of Native language preservation and revitalization. The author-illustrator provides appended insights into his artistic process and inspiration.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) 4-6 Jones straightforwardly chronicles the story of his family's (members of the Ponca Nation) experience in the Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in Oklahoma, one of many residential boarding schools established in the nineteenth century by the U.S. and Canadian governments to strip Indigenous children of their culture. In 1885, when she was four years old, Jones's grandmother Elizabeth (her Ponca name translates to Little Moon There Are No Stars Tonight) is forcibly taken from her home and brought to the White Eagle School; a year later school officials transfer Elizabeth to another school, Chilocco, without her family's knowledge. After graduating, Elizabeth works as a matron at the school; the author provides a poignant account of the changes her family observes in her when she finally returns home. Her daughter and granddaughter attend Chilocco -- by choice, unlike Elizabeth -- and although the author does not attend Chilocco as a student, he does maintenance work at the school before it closes in 1980. Jones deftly mixes his family history with larger Indigenous history. The varied perspectives through the years add nuance, while the book acknowledges the atrocities of the American Indian boarding schools throughout. Middle-grade and middle-school readers will gain a deeper insight into Indigenous history through this family account. An extensive bibliography is appended.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) YA At the onset of World War II, German U-boats (submarines) mercilessly sank the military and civilian ships of the Allies, making transatlantic travel a risky endeavor. Americans living abroad had to weigh the risks of remaining in German-occupied territories against the treacherous weeks-long voyage back home. U-boat attacks were unrelenting until late in the war when advances in microwave radar detection allowed the Allies to pinpoint their locations, rendering them virtually useless. As the title suggests, this book divides its focus between the heart-wrenching story of survivors of the torpedoed SS West Lashaway awaiting rescue on a small wooden raft in shark-infested waters and a concise and highly readable history of the science of electromagnetic fields. Beginning with discoveries in the eighteenth century, Lantos provides background on each advancement in the science as well as biographical information about the scientists involved, finally introducing the American military scientists and engineers who figured out how to use microwaves to precisely locate distant objects. He ups the tension by alternating the harrowing experience of the shipwreck survivors with development of the radar equipment that was critical to both their rescue and the Allied victory in WWII. This page-turning account, with archival images and occasional chapter-opening illustrations (by Alan Marks), provides equal parts suspense and wonder for readers of history and science alike. Appended with thorough source notes, a bibliography, and an index.

Reviewer: Eric Carpenter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2024

(2) YA Adapting Lee's 2015 adult title (The Making of Asian America) for a younger audience -- and beginning with a context-setting introduction about the lack of education about Asian and Asian American history -- the authors begin their account with the expansion of the Spanish Empire from the end of the fifteenth century through the mid-1700s. Short, accessibly written chapters aim to counter the sanitized (or ignored) history of Asian experiences in America, including those from East Asia, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. Taking a nonlinear approach, the book groups topics thematically, pairing and contrasting events and reintroducing people and ideas as they come up again. Callouts are used to explain terms and concepts; a list of racist so-called justifications is particularly effective in reminding readers of the different faces of bigotry. Lee and Soontornvat also highlight the ways public opinion and trending topics in the news change which groups get attention, forcing racial minorities to compete for resources. Especially illuminating are stories of Korean, Filipino, and South Asian people during WWII's Japanese internment as well as South Asian and Muslim experiences after 9/11. An informative, useful, and strong survey for those learning more about their own cultures and histories and about others'.

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro. This picture-book biography introduces readers to an extraordinary Indigenous ultramarathoner. Ramírez, born in 1995, is "a proud daughter of the Rarámuri," a tribe from a remote region of Chihuahua in Mexico. Known as the "light-footed people" for their proclivity for endurance running, their abilities are forged by necessity as they travel long distances for food and supplies. Ramírez's experiences navigating rivers and trekking across deserts have trained her to endure many difficult courses and climates. Pride in her heritage is encapsulated in the image of her running in huaraches and a long woven skirt, swiftly leaving behind others wearing "fancy gear and gadgets." Medina's rhythmic text is punctuated with onomatopoeia and emphasizes Ramírez's connection to the Rarámuri traditions, including the traditional pinole drink (made of ground corn and spices, as explained in the back matter) that sustains her. Also incorporated are glimpses of Ramírez's daily life, describing how she is strengthened by her family and her community and how she "draws energy from the earth" itself. Castro's richly colored digital images depict the flora and fauna of the desert terrain and feature floral motifs that surround Ramírez like a cloud of energy. The back matter includes a list of sources and more about Ramírez's accomplishments, daily life for the Rarámuri, and how running marathons supports their community.

Reviewer: Jessica Agudelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(1) In this pitch-perfect middle-grade novel, Lou (short for Louise) copes with her deep shame over some unkind words she said in anger to Francie, her (now former) best friend. Lou can hardly believe that new-kid Cece wants to be friends, but she's intrigued by the girl's conviction about having been kidnapped by her father. Lou's first-person narration is punctuated with her notebook entries trying to sleuth out if Cece is correct and with flashbacks documenting her friendship with Francie, from kindergarten to "The Tenth Day of Sixth Grade" -- the day everything changed. Parallels with Harriet the Spy are spelled out, so what happens to that notebook and the emotional ramifications that follow are no surprise. Lou's tart perceptions of her Catholic school, her family (her white mother, Black stepfather, and two young siblings), and the emotional dynamics of sixth grade are sharply observant, as is her journey to understanding that people change. Other themes include Cece's keen interest in astrology (and insistence on interviewing a local reader for a "Christ Is Alive!" school project) and Francie's mother's depression; the depiction of the hot and humid Missouri setting is another strength. The mystery and plentiful conversation help keep the momentum going all the way to the end.

Reviewer: Susan Dove Lempke | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024

(4) 4-6 Illustrated by Matt Tavares. This picture book offers an introduction to the evolution of maps and mapmaking, from prehistoric cave markings to modern GPS. While it effectively conveys humanity's need to document geography, details are more limited regarding ancient cultures and cartography techniques. Though informative, the book serves as a rather broad overview, ideal for casual exploration. The realistic illustrations capture the human element and historical eras. Back matter includes author and illustrator notes, additional details, and a bibliography.

Reviewer: Summer Edward

(2) YA Smith (The Blossom and the Firefly, rev. 3/20) and Wein (Stateless, rev. 3/23) introduce readers to the Black men and women who fought to desegregate aviation. The book opens in 1919 with fifteen-year-old Cornelius Coffey attempting to take his first plane ride at an air show in Nebraska. The pilot reluctantly takes the young Black man up and tries to discourage him with daredevil antics -- but Coffey loves it and knows he wants to fly. Fast forward: Coffey meets Johnny Robinson, a Black mechanic who also longs to be a pilot. The two move to Chicago and apply to the Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation. They are accepted -- but then not allowed to enroll after the school finds out they are Black. Following much struggle, Coffey and Robinson are admitted in 1929 and complete their course. With two other young Black aspiring pilots, Janet Harmon Bragg and Willa Brown, they open an aviation school for Black students. Along with the experiences of each individual pilot, there is also a thorough discussion of the historical context surrounding them, including the Great Depression and WWII. Photographs of Coffey, Robinson, Harmon Bragg, and Brown appear throughout the text. An authors' note explains the research process, and source notes are provided for this thorough and absorbingly written history of the early days of aviation.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2024