(3) 4-6 The author chronicles the life and career of boxer Muhammad Ali--from his childhood as Cassius Clay to his 1960 Olympic gold medal to his igniting the flame of the 1996 games--through the guise of fictional news articles, letters, and interviews incorporating historical events (civil rights movement, Vietnam War, etc.). Archival photographs, sidebars, and an extensive timeline supplement the informative text. Bib.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(3) 4-6 Denenberg's handsome volume is formatted to look like a commemorative newspaper. Background information about the ship reads like a travel brochure, emphasizing the Titanic's size and grandeur. The text's faux journalistic account gives readers a you-are-there sense while an "RMS Titanic Hour by Hour" timeline clarifies events. The volume is generously illustrated with archival photographs and appended with source notes. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(1) 4-6 Illustrated by Christopher Bing. Denenberg and Bing create an invented newspaper memorial of Lincoln's death, with yellowed pages bound in faux-weathered maroon. Archival photographs and maps, as well as artificial advertisements (e.g., fountain pen nibs), appear alongside portraits that mimic period engravings. Beautifully integrating content and form, this engrossing oversized (twelve by eighteen inches) book serves both browsers and researchers well. Timeline. Ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2009

(2) YA Divided into four parts, Denenberg's thoroughly researched account provides background on Nazism and its influence on the Frank family; allows Anne's older sister, Margot, to speak through her own fictitious diary; offers first-person accounts of survivors; and outlines Otto Frank's last days of the war and his search for his family. A bibliographical essay, source notes, and an extensive bibliography are appended. Ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2005

(4) 4-6 Life and Times series. When Roman soldiers sack his village, Atticus is sold as a slave to the Emperor's best friend. He then finds himself used as a spy to help stop a plot to assassinate the Emperor. Though some plot developments are unconvincing, the mystery element and well-realized setting have appeal.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(3) 4-6 Dear America series. In 1932, twelve-year-old Bess begins attending Perkins School for the Blind following an accident in which she loses her sight. Her twin sister records Bess's diary entries for her--and writes a few herself, providing readers with an additional point of view to round out the narrative. Denenberg creates a convincing, engaging portrait of Bess's adjustment to her new school and her new life.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander

(3) 4-6 Short, punchy chapters follow Elvis from supremely gifted youth to his lonely, dissolute end. Denenberg tells the tale in a disarmingly casual narrative voice, peppered with asides and interjections. The book does a good job capturing Elvis's legendary persona but nearly fails to recognize his artistic contributions. The accompanying black-and-white photographs show Presley at his best and worst. A time line is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Peter D. Sieruta | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2002

(4) 4-6 Dear America series. Twelve-year-old Julie Weiss's diary for 1938 begins in Vienna, where even her privileged family is ravaged by Nazi terrorism, and ends in New York City, where her actress aunt and wealthy uncle welcome her into their comfortable home. Accurate historical details and Julie's consistent voice strengthen the book, but the plot's easy resolutions seem contrived.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(4) 4-6 My Name Is America series. After his family dies, twelve-year-old Will goes to Boston. He is taken in by Mrs. Thompson in exchange for his help around her tavern and becomes friends with a group of Revolutionary War patriots who meet there. The story lacks a focused plot, but Will's journal is filled with many details of eighteenth-century living. The book includes a historical note, maps, and engravings from the time.

Reviewer: Patricia Riley