(3) 4-6 Very Important People series. Illustrated by Jen Bricking. Accompanied by frequent blue- and gray-tone illustrations, this accessible biography covers a lot of ground, beginning with Jemison's childhood dream of becoming a scientist and the lack of support for a Black girl in the 1960s to even consider that dream. Jemison was "the first woman of color anywhere in the world to be chosen to be an astronaut," and, throughout her life, her belief in her abilities helped her persevere despite others' prejudice. Sidebars expand on topics in the text (e.g., "10 things women couldn't do in the 1960s and 1970s," "Important Civil Rights Protests," space shuttle facts) and introduce notable figures (Sally Ride, "The First Black Astronauts"). Back matter includes two timelines (Jemison's and "Women in Spaceflight"), brief bios of four African American women in STEM, a bibliography, and a reading list.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Very Important People series. Illustrated by Daniel Duncan. In seven chapters geared toward third and fourth graders, Patrick discusses engineer and inventor Latimer's life and work. Born in 1848 to fugitive slaves in Chelsea, Massachusetts, Latimer's remarkable career included work for Alexander Graham Bell and (indirectly) Thomas Edison. Inviting illustrations in blue and gray tones help break up the readable text. Frequent sidebars elaborate on topics in the main text (patents, the Industrial Revolution) and introduce Lewis's contemporaries (Booker T. Washington; "Other Nineteenth-Century Inventors"). The book ends with a list of Lewis's patents, a timeline, brief bios of four modern-day African American inventors, and an extensive bibliography.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Melissa Lee Johnson. This picture-book biography focuses on the blind musical prodigy's rise to superstardom. Per the series's formula, Vegara breezes through some highlights from the musician/composer/singer's life and career, from signing with Motown at eleven to being named the United Nations' 2009 "Messenger of Peace." The cheery cartoon illustrations are a good match for the accessible text. Back matter includes four photos, a simple timeline, more biographical information, and two recommended books.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Paulina Morgan. Soccer phenom Rapinoe was always most at home on the field and in the game. This series entry follows Rapinoe as she and her twin sister play the sport growing up and win college scholarships. From there, Rapinoe--now with her distinctive purple hair--begins her ascent, collecting World Cup and Olympic wins. Vegara mentions Rapinoe's coming-out announcement before the London Olympics and her wish to "be an example for other gay athletes." The stylized cartoon illustrations should help draw readers to the story. Back matter includes four photos, a simple timeline, additional information, and two recommended books.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) K-3 Ordinary People Change the World series. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. "With eight of us crammed together, our world was very small. But if you look for what's good, you'll find it." In a friendly first-person text (drawn from the diary as much as possible), a cartoon Anne Frank tells readers about her childhood in Nazi Germany, her Jewish family's escape to Amsterdam, and their time spent in hiding during the Holocaust. Eliopoulos's comic-style illustrations help deliver the grim facts of the time and place; Anne's inimitable spirit comes through in both the text and art. Archival photos, a timeline, bibliography, and reading list enhance the presentation.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(3) 4-6 Fact Finders: People You Should Know series. These biographies focus on individuals who've had a significant impact on American culture and history. Ginsburg highlights important decisions the Justice has been outspoken about and describes her place in pop culture. Bridges takes a broader look at the integration of Ruby's school and the reactions of her community. Sidebars, "Did You Know?" text boxes, well-chosen photographs, and word definitions accompany the readable texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: People You Should Know titles: Ruby Bridges and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Fact Finders: People You Should Know series. These biographies focus on individuals who've had a significant impact on American culture and history. Ginsburg highlights important decisions the Justice has been outspoken about and describes her place in pop culture. Bridges takes a broader look at the integration of Ruby's school and the reactions of her community. Sidebars, "Did You Know?" text boxes, well-chosen photographs, and word definitions accompany the readable texts. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers these Fact Finders: People You Should Know titles: Ruby Bridges and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Beatrice Cerocchi. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Anuska Allepuz. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Christine Roussey. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Katie Wilson. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Erica Salcedo. This installment in the appealing picture-book biography series spotlights modern painter O'Keeffe's accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences and emphasizing empowerment. The narrative is upbeat but pretty simplistic overall. The cartoonlike illustrations feature stylized, goggle-eyed human figures. Back matter includes photos along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(4) K-3 Little People, Big Dreams series. Illustrated by Pili Aguado. Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list. Review covers these Little People, Big Dreams titles: Harriet Tubman, Jane Austen, Jane Goodall, L. M. Montgomery, and Simone de Beauvoir.

Reviewer: Erica Wetter

(3) K-3 Ordinary People Change the World series. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. Puppeteer Henson narrates his own biography, chattily relating childhood anecdotes (as a bearded adult) that shaped his life and his lasting legacy of the Muppets. There's some gentle moralizing ("keep believing and keep pretending"), but it's well delivered via this series' child-friendly design: a small trim size and cartoon art with occasional comics-style frames and speech-bubble text. Photographs are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter

(3) K-3 Ordinary People Change the World series. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. From childhood anecdotes ("I was shy... I spent most of my time with books") to the discrimination he faced to development of his Satyagraha ("Truth Force"), the scope of Gandhi's struggles and accomplishments is conveyed. There's some gentle moralizing, but it's well delivered via this biography series' child-friendly setup: a chatty first-person narrative and cartoon art with occasional comics-style frames. Photos are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(4) K-3 Ordinary People Change the World series. Illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos. The latest series entry centers on Sacagawea's contributions to Lewis and Clark's expedition to the Pacific. There's some moralizing and instances of historical glossing-over, but the bestselling biography series' setup--a chatty first-person narrative and cartoon art with occasional comics-style frames--has plenty of kid-appeal. Photos are appended. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Katrina Hedeen

(3) 4-6 True Stories, Real People series. Each short, inspiring biography is divided into four or five chapters written in an objective, unpretentious manner. Quotation sources are fastidiously footnoted and listed in the back matter. Navigation is easy thanks to clean layouts and a simple color scheme (orange photo captions, navy call-out boxes). Great for school assignments and engaging enough for pleasure reading. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following True Stories, Real People titles: Alia Muhammad Baker, Aron Ralston, Malala Yousafzai, Abby Sunderland, and Bethany Hamilton.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(3) 4-6 True Stories, Real People series. Each short, inspiring biography is divided into four or five chapters written in an objective, unpretentious manner. Quotation sources are fastidiously footnoted and listed in the back matter. Navigation is easy thanks to clean layouts and a simple color scheme (orange photo captions, navy call-out boxes). Great for school assignments and engaging enough for pleasure reading. Reading list. Glos., ind. Review covers the following True Stories, Real People titles: Alia Muhammad Baker, Aron Ralston, Malala Yousafzai, Abby Sunderland, and Bethany Hamilton.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) K-3 Protecting Our People series. Color photos and occasional question-and-answer sidebars accompany simple, choppily written texts on federal agents who protect our elected officials and American citizens. Beginning with a scenario portraying a crime-in-the-making, the books then describe the agents' daily work, the training they receive, and how they work with other agencies and with the public. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Protecting Our People titles: The CIA, Federal Air Marshalls, The FBI, SWAT Teams, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Secret Service.

Reviewer: Jack Forman

(4) K-3 Protecting Our People series. Color photos and occasional question-and-answer sidebars accompany simple, choppily written texts on federal agents who protect our elected officials and American citizens. Beginning with a scenario portraying a crime-in-the-making, the books then describe the agents' daily work, the training they receive, and how they work with other agencies and with the public. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers the following Protecting Our People titles: The CIA, Federal Air Marshalls, The FBI, SWAT Teams, U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Secret Service.

Reviewer: Jack Forman