(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Ray Fenwick. Big-top pioneer Barnum had an equally indelible effect on the history of museums and zoology. This biography captures the spirit of the man and his era. While Fleming lauds his accomplishments, she doesn't shy away from ethical issues that, from a modern perspective, threaten to tarnish his legacy. The handsome book design includes an abundance of photographs and illustrations, sidebars and subheadings. Websites. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(4) 4-6 Americans--The Spirit of a Nation series. Archival photographs, maps, primary sources, and sidebars combine with dry but informative texts to provide well-documented biographies of two American icons. These balanced titles successfully sort fact from fiction and demonstrate the passion and determination that established both Douglass's and Barnum's places in history. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Americans--The Spirit of a Nation titles: Frederick Douglass and P. T. Barnum.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) K-3 Illustrated by LeUyen Pham. When the Brooklyn Bridge is completed in 1883, Hannah can't wait to cross it, but her father, and many others, say it isn't safe. Only when she asks P.T. Barnum to march his elephants across the bridge does her father change his mind. Based on an actual event, Hannah's story is told with humor, and the sepia-toned watercolors lend an old-fashioned flavor. Bib.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley

(3) K-3 Road to Reading series. Illustrated by Bob Doucet. This smoothly written account of the "Cardiff Giant" describes why George Hull had a man-made statue buried in a farm field and how it became a tourist attraction as a fossilized human. Illustrated with color artwork and a few black-and-white photographs, the true historical account of a nineteenth-century hoax will intrigue early readers.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta

(3) YA Historical American Biographies series. These competently written biographies cover a wide range of subjects who lived between the American Revolution and World War II. The texts are supplemented by black-and-white photographs and reproductions, as well as information boxes that provide colorful background information or place events within historical context. The final pages of each volume discuss the legacy of each subject. Time lines are included. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta