(4) 4-6 This companion to Blood on the River continues the story of the Jamestown colony, now through the experience of Virginia Laydon, a child with an uncanny (and somewhat unconvincing) ability to see the future. Carbone includes details about daily life, slavery, tenuous relations with Indigenous tribes, and accusations of witchcraft. It's engaging historical fiction that does not shy away from addressing societal complexities.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth

(4) K-3 Zoom In on Native American Leaders series. These starter biographies offer brief descriptions (with one to three sentences per page) about important Native American figures; historical art and photos as well as contemporary scenic photos accompany the sparse texts. Only very cursory details about each subject is offered, but the series may serve as an adequate introduction for younger readers. Lists of quick stats and key dates are appended. Glos., ind. Review covers these Zoom In on Native American Leaders titles: Chief Joseph, Crazy Horse, Pocahontas, Sacagawea, Sequoyah, and Sitting Bull.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) 4-6 Sterling Biographies series. Each title opens with an introduction that arouses compassion and interest for the featured subject. Succeeding chapters present chronological biographies, with vivid portrayals of daily life, culture, and the impact an expanding America had on the individual and his or her people. Paintings, drawings, and occasional photographs combine with detail-rich sidebars and maps to provide a cumulatively engaging, accessible history lesson. Timeline, websites. Bib., glos., ind. Review covers these Sterling Biographies titles: Sacagawea, Chief Joseph,Pocahontas, Sitting Bull, Geronimo, and Tecumseh.

Reviewer: Tamara DePasquale

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Diaz. Krull uses the relatively few known facts about the Powhatan princess to trace her life from age eleven through adulthood, touching on her volatile relationship with John Smith and marriage to John Rolfe. Krull rounds out the story with background information about Jamestown. The narrative is smooth and readable, and Diaz's lush digitally colored cut-paper illustrations feature bright borders around the text. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(4) K-3 Heroes of American History series. The brief text of this book, comprised of simple statements, may serve very young report writers. Almost every page includes a colorful illustration: a map, tinted engraving, oil painting, or photograph. Although the text is bland and oversimplified at times, the volume does an adequate job of conveying to early readers Pocahontas's historical importance. Reading list, timeline, websites. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Miriam Lang Budin

(3) YA In this carefully researched fictional account, alternating first-person narratives of Pocahontas and John Smith recount the 1607 interaction between the Powhatan and the English in Jamestown, Virginia. In his stirring interpretation of this clash of cultures, Bruchac crafts a riveting portrait of a brave and proud man and a satisfying picture of Pocahontas as a curious and peace-loving Powhatan girl. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Kristin Cashore

(4) 4-6 In American History series. Each of the books in this series attempts to delineate the numerous causes and significant events that helped form a specific era in American history. These three books feature black-and-white photos and illustrations of uneven quality, boxed quotes from source documents, and timelines. Bib., ind. [Review covers these In American History titles: Jamestown, John Smith, and Pocahontas in American History; The Harlem Renaissance in American History; The Dust Bowl and the Depression in American History.]

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) 4-6 In Their Own Words series. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and reproductions, the biographies in this series feature excerpts from the subjects' writings (if they exist) and other primary sources to present fairly complete pictures of these historical figures. The texts are accessible and straightforward but generally dry. A timeline and a list of resources are appended. Bib., ind. [Review covers these titles: Benjamin Franklin, Christopher Columbus, Harriet Tubman, Helen Keller, Pocahontas.]

Reviewer: Lauren Aimonette LIang

(4) YA The deeds and personality of Captain John Smith, as well as his famous rescue by Pocahontas, are described in this admiring biography, with quotes from Smith's own writings. The intrusive narration is busy with editorial comments and unwarranted inferences; nevertheless, the brisk work contains a strong dramatic arc. Black-and-white historical engravings and a time line are included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) K-3 All Aboard Reading series. Illustrated by Shelly Hehenberger. In simple, clear language, Milton purports to tell the true story of Pocahontas and John Smith, including the alternative theory that Pocahontas may have saved Smith's life in response to her father's instructions rather than out of love. The narrative is compelling, if somewhat romantic in its interpretation of Pocahontas's life. Golden-hued illustrations capture the mood of the tale.

Reviewer: Mary R. Holt