(1) 4-6 The prolific Paulsen dips into his seemingly inexhaustible well of memories to pen yet another memoir. Employing the same third-person narrative voice he used in a trio of short, affecting stories about his grandmother (The Cookcamp, Alida's Song, and The Quilt), Paulsen reveals more pivotal moments of resilience from his difficult childhood and teen years. At the age of five--and at his grandmother's ­insistence--"the boy" goes to live with his aunt and uncle on their farm in the northern woods of Minnesota, but that safe haven is abruptly taken away when he must cross the Pacific Ocean to reunite with his parents. The boy's time in the Philippines is brief, but his memories are indelible. Flash forward to age thirteen. The boy spends as much time in the woods as he possibly can to avoid his alcoholic parents at home. He scrapes by at school, and works setting pins at the bowling alley, but his discovery of the public library, its kind librarian, and the power of books and stories literally changes his life. The boy's military service is another formative experience, and then he finds his voice--and his calling--as a storyteller. Resonant themes and beautiful writing unify the memoir's episodic structure.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) 4-6 Young Jordan hasn't always had the best luck when it comes to teachers, but he's fairly sure his fourth-grade teacher Mrs. Fisher loathes him. His mother gets the same impression during their parent-teacher conference, but things come to a head when Mrs. Fisher slaps him. He transfers to another school on Staten Island, one that is bigger and more diverse--he's not the only Jewish kid in his class--and his new teacher, Miss Tuff, unlocks Jordan's creative potential. A strong reader with a love of comics and music, Jordan discovers magic in Susan Cooper's The Dark Is Rising and aspires to be a writer one day. That day comes sooner than he thinks when Miss Tuff invites him to write and perform skits for the class, and his comedic talent shines bright. There are genuine moments of hilarity throughout ­Sonnenblick's (Notes from the Midnight Driver, rev. 9/06; The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade, rev. 9/17; and others) memoir: pranks with friends, plenty of self-deprecation, and a running pet-snake situation. These are balanced with some pathos as well: health problems, tension between his parents, and big events in the background (the nuclear meltdown at Three Mile Island, the American Airlines Flight 191 crash, the Iranian Revolution). Sonnenblick's trademark blend of wit and sensitivity mines even the darker elements for humor and imbues this memoir with a sense of hope and optimism.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Jacqueline Alcántara. "In a town called Eatonville...lived a girl who was attracted to tales like mosquitos to skin." So begins the evocatively descriptive account of the life of acclaimed storyteller Zora Neale Hurston. Young Zora spent the favorite parts of her day at Joe Clarke's general store, where she would listen to her elders tell fantastical tales of "how that trickster Brer Rabbit always got the best of Brer Fox," the origin of "squinch owls," and more. She didn't mind passing them on, either; perched atop the gatepost that led to her house, Zora would relate those tales--and a few of her own--to any passerby who would listen. While some family members chastised her for "lying," Zora's mother encouraged her consistently to "jump at de sun. You might not land on de sun, but at least you'd get off de ground." These "jumps" carried Zora to Howard University, then on to Harlem (and its burgeoning Renaissance), and right back down to Eatonville, where she continued to do what she did best--trade, tell, and write down stories. Rich with down-home vernacular, the text immerses readers in the Southern tradition of oral storytelling. The illustrations prove just as dynamic, with vibrant spreads bursting with brilliant-toned hues and enjoyable details to notice (e.g., the fashionable hats famously worn by Hurston--modeled by anthropomorphic animals). Snippets of folktales are paneled loosely alongside the biographical story; Brer Rabbit and Brer Fox are no respecters of borders, with both making multiple appearances. Back matter includes an author's note, sources, and additional reading, for both "Youngins" and "Older Folk."

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2021

(2) K-3 Translated by David Henry Wilson. Illustrated by Maja Kastelic. On a carriage ride to Copenhagen with her mother, a young girl strikes up a conversation with a kindly older gentleman. They exchange pleasantries; he reveals that he is a writer, particularly of fairy tales. She's interested, so he volunteers to tell her a magical story. It's a tale of a poor youngster who eventually becomes a famous writer. "He sometimes felt as if he'd got himself a kingdom--the kingdom of letters." The tone is gentle, the language often poetic. "It's you, isn't it?" asks the child, and the gentleman--Hans Christian Andersen--confirms her suspicion. Throughout, the illustrations not only pace the story, with panels, half- and full-page art, and double-page spreads, but also indicate shifts in time and content. For example, the carriage ride is depicted in browns, blue, and hints of pink, while sepia-toned sequences recall the events Andersen is retelling. Detailed, multi-hued pastels accompany descriptions of several of Andersen's stories, which he explains as either coming from his own experiences (once small and helpless like "Thumbelina," for example) or the observable foibles of others ("The Emperor's New Clothes"). Many readers will notice visual references to folktales and nursery rhymes within the illustrations of his stories. This biography-based picture book concludes in fantasy as the travelers leave the ground and fly to Copenhagen, just like the boy in "The Flying Trunk." Appended with an author's note.

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

(2) YA Before he actually had children, Bronson Alcott wondered, "Can parents limit ­outside influences and raise a perfect child?" Well, the answer was no. By the time second daughter Louisa was three and her older sister Anna was four, they were out of control. Louisa was a "brute" in the nursery, Mrs. Alcott was an emotional mess, and family life was a disaster. (Good to know there's hope for us all!) "Wild and ungovernable," Louisa threw food and pulled Anna's hair. As Louisa grew up, she loved racing through the park and sliding down bannisters. But being given freedom to play and dream; growing up in a house full of books; and having such Concord neighbors as ­Thoreau, Emerson, and Hawthorne nurtured the young, passionate girl--ultimately readying her to take on the literary world with Little Women. Noyes expertly places Alcott within the context of a chaotic and poverty-stricken family life and a confining and conventional Concord. An idealistic father, an overburdened mother, and three lively sisters provided the models for her characters in Little Women, published when she was thirty-five. Photographs--of Thoreau, Walden Pond, and John Brown--and reproductions of letters, magazine covers, and even a tintype of a Civil War drummer complement the text. Back matter includes an extensive bibliography.

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

(1) YA Anderson's three-part autobiographical collection of dynamic, mostly free-verse poems serves as a potent postlude for Speak. The first third takes us from Anderson's difficult childhood to Speak's publication. Next is a series of impassioned poems about sexual assault, censorship, consent, etc. She concludes with a quiet set of reflective family poems. By turns angry, commanding, raw, and wistful, this is a praise song to survivors and a blistering rebuke to predators. Reading list.

Reviewer: Jennifer Hubert Swan | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Sarah Jacoby. Barnett is openly admiring of Brown's legacy in this picture-book biography. In forty-two pages (because Brown lived forty-two years), he weaves facts about her life with information on how her books were received, in particular by notable librarian Anne Carroll Moore. Barnett conveys the sense that Brown's stories felt as strange and wondrous as life itself can be. Jacoby's mixed-media illustrations are appropriately impressionistic and playful. Bib.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(3) YA YA author Carter (Embassy Row and Heist Society series, among others) provides advice for teen writers on craft and other aspects of the writing life in a question-and-answer format, also posing questions to other YA authors for a range of perspectives. The book takes teens and their aspirations seriously and includes plenty of practical insights. The conversational tone makes for an accessible read.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Paola Escobar. As a bilingual assistant at Nueva York's public library in 1921, Pura Belpré retells the folk stories of her native Puerto Rico at storytimes and eventually writes them down for publication. Descriptive language moves between English and Spanish seamlessly. Both text and expressive, warm illustrations carry the metaphor of planting seeds, so that readers see the seeds of Belpré's stories bloom as the biographical details unfold. Also available in Spanish. Reading list. Bib.

Reviewer: Alicia K. Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(1) YA This companion verse memoir to Enchanted Air provides a glimpse into Engle's teen years in Los Angeles and early adulthood. Engle addresses head-on the impact of the Vietnam War; the injustices prevalent in society at the time; the resistance of students and workers; and black and brown solidarity. The poems display Engle's customary sincerity and reflect the parallels and divergences between her two worlds--her Cuban and American heritages.

Reviewer: Sujei Lugo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2019

(2) YA Introduction by Alison Bechdel. This well-researched comics-format biography depicts key moments from Brontë's studies at austere boarding schools, her later teaching jobs, and her travels abroad. Fawkes highlights Brontë's bleak childhood; her creativity inventing imaginary worlds with her siblings; and the difficulties she faced as a woman writer in the nineteenth century. Although panel layouts are unvaried and text-heavy, the bluish-purple palette nicely captures setting; intricate line work focuses on characters' expressive faces. Bib.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) 4-6 Britain’s first ten Children’s Laureates, from Quentin Blake (1999–2001) to Lauren Child (2017–2019), discuss their writing and/or illustrating processes, supply creative prompts, and show samples of their own work. The result is an encouraging set of examples for young creators of how ideas can become stories or illustrations. With twenty additional “ideas for creative projects” appended and "More About the Laureates," this volume should serve as a useful resource.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Tonya Engel. Foreword by Colin Johnson. In propulsive free verse and vibrant illustrations, Hegedus and Engel present the life and legacy of Angelou (1928–2014). She survived childhood instability, anguish, and abuse to thrive and to triumph, becoming a performer, dancer, journalist, activist, poet, mother, and humanitarian. Warm, swirling acrylic and oil paintings illustrate the various moods of the story. Photographs, an author's note, and websites of sexual assault organizations are appended. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Cluadette S. McLinn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Julie Morstad. Japanese American artist Fujikawa (1908–1998) helped break the color barrier in picture books with her 1963 now-classic Babies. Maclear lucidly outlines a remarkable life of art and creativity, of struggle and perseverance. Growing up in California, Fujikawa "sometimes...felt invisible among her mostly white classmates." This feeling continued into adulthood and an art career in New York City, especially when her West Coast–based family was incarcerated in WWII internment camps. Morstad's illustrations effectively vary in style and coloring to match events. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2019

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Kristy Caldwell. Isabella Bird (1831–1904) overcame childhood maladies and, perhaps equally hard to surmount, rigid social expectations of female behavior to become a world traveler, explorer, and best-selling author; snippets of Bird's writing appear in this ebullient treatment of a life well spent. Illustrator Caldwell incorporates occasional dialogue balloons and comics-style panels into the digital illustrations, staving off any accusation of Victorian creakiness. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Illustrated by Jill Calder. This informative volume achieves exactly what its title purports to do and any library would do well to add it to their collection. Those teaching or studying poetry should also find it valuable, both for its insights regarding interpretation and creation and for its range of poetic examples by classic British and American poets. Loose black-and-white spot illustrations add kid-friendliness. Websites. Ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA In this anthology, twenty-three established YA authors share essays on the broad topics of hope and resilience. A few passionate expository pieces have a distinctly political bent and seem to be written in response to the 2016 U.S. presidential election; most others are moving personal stories from the authors' diverse experiences as teens. A consistently readable and well-curated collection.

Reviewer: Jessica Tackett MacDonald

(3) YA Twenty-one female YA authors offer personal essays about moments and life experiences that shaped their feminist worldview. The timely topics covered include the intersection of race and gender, sexual assault and rape, issues around weight and body image, and the experience of growing up a girl in an immigrant family. Engaging, emotional, and perfectly attuned to today's young women, this feminist collection promises to make an impact. Websites.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) 4-6 Forty-four contemporary children's book people each contribute a writing prompt. Then each one responds to someone else's prompt. The result is a combination anthology and inspiring craft manual. Both prompts and responses include prose, poetry, photographs, drawings, and comics. The emphasis is on pleasure, but readers will notice an aspect to creativity that isn't made explicit in the introduction: almost none of the contributors obeys the rules. Ind.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2018

(3) YA These female-authored stories, spanning almost 150 years, follow brave, unconventional heroines as they face foes and approach crossroads in their lives. Featuring a refreshing array of religions, neuro-ability, sexuality, and ethnicity, the anthology's serious, sexy, funny, and exhilarating tales offer underrepresented points of view in historical fiction. An author's note with further information is appended to each tale.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello