(2) K-3 Illustrated by Stadtlander Becca. Streicher and Beethoven met as teenagers when he visited her father, Johann Andreas Stein, "the celebrated piano innovator." Their friendship endured as Streicher would go on to create the unique pianos that showcased Beethoven's talents, instruments that were "as expressive as a human voice and as varied in tone and timbre as an entire orchestra combined." Like arrangers orchestrating a duet, Lawlor and Stadtlander (Fearless World Traveler, rev. 9/21) intertwine the two biographies, first by presenting a segment of one person's life, then the corresponding time period of the other's, and finally the intersection of the two. The chronological pieces, on such topics as childhood, early recognition of their respective talents, and continuing successes and failures, culminate in the initial performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and his "Ode to Joy," and the book concludes with each person's later experiences and their deaths. This pattern allows readers to compare and contrast the two lives, from Beethoven's difficult childhood with a sick mother and abusive father to Streicher's unique upbringing with a father who encouraged her formal education but also passed on the details of piano production (which allowed her, uncharacteristically for the times, to operate her own business). Stadtlander's gouache and pencil illustrations not only capture the era but also use setting to accentuate character traits; those segments featuring Streicher depict calm routines, while Beethoven's volatile performances show bright colors and objects visually exploding from his pianos. Appended with informative notes, a bibliography, and documentation.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2023

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Becca Stadtlander. As a teenager, Marianne North (1830–1890) acquired a love of music, art, and especially botany (all things that her wealthy Victorian parents disapproved of), teaching herself about plants from books and observation. At the age of forty, after the death of her widowed father, North was finally free to pursue her passions. Initial trips to paint plants in North America and the Caribbean inspired her to go from being "a traveler who painted" to "a painter who traveled," visiting fifteen countries--and creating copious art there--over the next fourteen years. In this fascinating and detailed account of North's life, Lawlor (Rachel Carson and Her Book That Changed the World, rev. 7/12) covers the difficult traveling conditions and accommodations North often encountered; even though "traveling alone was frowned upon for 'unprotected ladies,'" she remained undeterred. A few years before her death, North convinced the director of London's Kew Gardens to let her build the Marianne North Gallery to house her collection, of which 832 paintings are still viewable today. Grouped by geographic regions, they form an "astonishing" mural-like display, captured by Stadtlander (On Wings of Words, rev. 5/20) on an impressive spread. An appended note about North's legacy cogently characterizes her work in oil paint, which placed plants in their natural surroundings, as "unlike traditional botanical illustration of her time"; and Stadtlander's vibrant ink, watercolor, and colored-pencil art in lush, natural colors echoes North's own realistic style (exhibited on the endpapers via eight reproductions). Back matter also includes sources, notes, and picture credits, plus a "who's who" of other well-known people in North's noteworthy life.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2021

(3) K-3 Illustrated by David Gordon. When a storm fells Big Tree, a feature of a neighborhood park, it hits a power line. While the power is out, neighbors share food and memories of the tree. These neighbors make community-improving use of its wood and plant Little Tree in its place. Quietly dramatic art fits the animated narration, which, it's eventually revealed, is by a neighborhood kid.

Reviewer: Nell Beram

(3) 4-6 Six well-researched, succinct portraits of women scientists and their particular achievements, despite sometimes hostile environments. Subjects include marine biologist Eugenie Clark, biochemist Gertrude Elion, mathematician Katherine Coleman Johnson, geologist and oceanic cartographer Marie Tharp, archaeologist and anthropologist Florence Hawley Ellis, and astrophysicist Eleanor Margaret Burbidge. A spacious design with black-and-white photos makes for an inviting presentation. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Laura Beingessner. From the naturalist's early fascination with wildlife to her determination to finish her landmark work, Silent Spring, before her death, this accessible account folds a commendable amount of significant information into picture book format. Beingessner's spacious ink and tempera spreads reflect the upbeat tone and Carson's most passionate concerns. An epilogue describes the watershed effect of Silent Spring. Bib.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2012

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ethan Long. "Happy as a clam at high water"; "Red as a gobbler's snout in spring." Twenty-six regional similes, one for each letter of the alphabet, are accompanied by lively cartoon interpretations. Some of the expressions are a bit baffling ("Yellow as a flitter tree that grows beside a honey pond"); luckily, an author's note provides explanations. Bib.

Reviewer: Beth L. Meister

(3) 1-3 Illustrated by Ronald Himler. This early chapter book about a six-year-old boy's reluctance to start school uses a distinctive setting (the early nineteenth-century Indiana frontier) to explore a universal theme: change is scary. Though modern readers are unlikely to fret over panthers crossing their paths, they'll identify with gentle Beansie's fears and cheer his final triumph. Soft black-and-white drawings accompany the text. Glos.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by John Winch. Based on a true event, this sparse yet lyric narrative describes a wagon train that went astray in Death Valley in 1850 and Old Crump, the faithful ox that carried four children out on his back. Illustrations of the ragged, starving pioneers show awkward human figures but realistic, detailed desert animals; the California landscape is rendered in warm desert colors and often incorporates photos of the desolate terrain.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(4) 4-6 Using the diary kept by one of the seamen on Captain Cook's final, disastrous voyage, Lawlor describes the places visited and the details of life on board a ship. Reproductions of drawings done by the ship's crew illustrate the pages, as do maps documenting the ship's journey. Several appendixes and notes complete the overlong text. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Jeannine M. Chapman

(2) YA Keller's determination, evidenced by her persistent ability to reinvent herself, echoes throughout this absorbing and vigorously researched biography. Lawlor puts Keller's experiences in historical context, making her achievements seem all the more astounding given the era's prevailing discrimination against women and the disabled. Well-chosen photos and excerpts from Keller's writings aid the text. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Christine M. Heppermann | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2001

(4) 4-6 American Sisters series. In a novel that conveys the historical situation of Korean immigrants who settled in California around 1905, sisters Su-Na, Jae-Mi, and Hi-Jong struggle with poverty, prejudice, and strange American customs, as well as their Korean duties to their parents. Despite occasional didactic spots, the story engages readers in the Korean experience and the sisters' relationship. Bib.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam

(2) YA Lawlor explores the changing world in which this influential photographer operated, describing the evolution of photography, early railroad history, the flood of immigration, and the losses of Native Americans, among other topics. The large and small photos illuminating the terrain and introducing some of the players are impressive. This overview is an engaging introductory history that will invite further exploration. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Margaret A. Bush | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2000

(4) 4-6 American Sisters series. In two smoothly written novels, adversity forges bonds between sisters of decidedly different personalities. In Adventure, a family leaves Virginia for the promise of bounty in Kentucky, and Voyage tells of a Puritan family's journey to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though formulaic, the books will draw in readers with their realistic characters and well-paced plots.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) 4-6 American Sisters series. In two smoothly written novels, adversity forges bonds between sisters of decidedly different personalities. In Adventure, a family leaves Virginia for the promise of bounty in Kentucky, and Voyage tells of a Puritan family's journey to the Massachusetts Bay Colony. Though formulaic, the books will draw in readers with their realistic characters and well-paced plots.

Reviewer: Amy Lois Cohn

(4) 4-6 American Sisters series. 1912 traces the journey of two young sisters from their native Sweden to America on the Titanic; 1852 chronicles the wagon train trek of a young girl and her large family as they head west to Oregon. While author's notes explain that the stories are based on real people, the journal entries interspersed throughout 1852 are only noted as taken from an original source in small print on the CIP page, which may lead to confusion as to what is fiction and what isn't. Bib.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(4) 4-6 American Sisters series. 1912 traces the journey of two young sisters from their native Sweden to America on the Titanic; 1852 chronicles the wagon train trek of a young girl and her large family as they head west to Oregon. While author's notes explain that the stories are based on real people, the journal entries interspersed throughout 1852 are only noted as taken from an original source in small print on the CIP page, which may lead to confusion as to what is fiction and what isn't. Bib.

Reviewer: Bridget McCaffrey

(3) K-3 The neighborhood children are sure that Leroy--the worst kid to ever grow up on their street--must be up to no good when he returns to his old home. They do some detective work and discover that Leroy is now a fire marshall and his suspicious activities are all legitimate. Illustrated with one or two drawings per spread, the book contains enough far-fetched elements of mystery and surprise to keep readers interested.

Reviewer: The Horn Book, Inc.