(1) K-3 Illustrated by Evan Turk. Ben Shahn (1898–1969) was known as "the people's painter" because his art told real stories about real people. Levinson and Turk here team up to tell Shahn's own story, from his Jewish family's emigration from Lithuania to the U.S. when he was a child, to his teenage years (lithographer by day, art student by night), to his fame as an artist who would "portray stories of people clamoring for their rights. Civil rights activists. Workers demanding fair pay. Political protesters. Advocates for peace." From an early age Ben was passionate about calling out injustice--after his father was imprisoned for speaking out in favor of worker's rights, Ben "marched up to the sentry at the end of the street and shouted, 'Down with the Czar!'" He also loved to create art and used his work to tell stories, despite his teachers' insistence that "pictures should be beautiful--not real life." Through the years, Ben ignored this dictum and made a name for himself with his social realist art, which brought him a wide audience. Levinson skillfully shows the artist's relatable qualities, such as when young Ben refuses to name names after a classroom prank ("I'm not going to tell who did it...and I'm not going to pay for something I didn't do"). Her celebratory text is well complemented by Turk's strong and distinctively bold, colorful mixed-media art. Turk uses forced perspective to show Ben standing up to injustice despite his diminutive size, while hands feature in nearly every spread--fists raised in resistance, palms opened upwards in plea, fingers clasped together in farewell--further heightening emotional impact. A Yiddish glossary and pronunciation guide, author and illustrator notes, a timeline, a selected bibliography, and source notes round out this excellent picture-book biography.

Reviewer: Sam Bloom | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Vanessa Brantley Newton. Levinson tells the true story of Audrey Faye Hendricks, the youngest participant in the 1963 Birmingham Children's March. The well-paced text captures a child's voice and presents time and place realistically. Brightly colored digital collages clearly depict both the hopeful spirit and the rawer emotions of one community involved in the civil rights struggle. An author's note provides additional background. Timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Cluadette S. McLinn | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(4) YA The authors present a comprehensive account of the men involved in the writing of the Constitution, the struggles and conflicts between factions, and the eventual compromises necessary for its passage. Considerable space is given to how the Constitution affects our present government, arguing both strengths and weaknesses of the document. The lackluster text-heavy format is somewhat enhanced with sidebars and charts. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 This well-organized, engaging, and voluminously sourced biography traces Clinton's life, from childhood through entering the 2016 presidential race, emphasizing themes of service, compromise, empathy, and trailblazing. Well-chosen details build historical context for young readers, particularly regarding sexism and barrier-breaking; however, the laudatory approach ("Is she some kind of superwoman?") allows only glancing consideration of criticisms from both the Right and Left. Timeline. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Claire E. Gross

(3) 4-6 Levinson presents two youth circuses: St. Louis (MO)'s Circus Harmony--specifically its elite squad, the St. Louis Arches--and Israel's Galilee Circus, notable for inclusion of both Arabs and Jews. In 2007 the Arches traveled to Galilee to promote cross-cultural understanding--and to have fun practicing circus arts. Vivid photographs and straightforward, interview-heavy text paint a hopeful portrait without sugarcoating reality. Ind.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz

(2) YA Levinson does a superb job demonstrating just how difficult it was for the leaders of the civil rights movement to create a movement at all. When adults didn't take to the streets in great enough numbers, children volunteered. The narrative focuses on four young African Americans; clear and lively writing, well-chosen photos, and thorough documentation make this a fine chronicle of the era. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2012