(4) PS Illustrated by Tracy Dockray. A mother and daughter talk about how the young girl is "little enough to ride piggyback to the stairs" yet "big enough to hop all the way down." Some comparisons are moralistic--she's "little enough to jump on the bed" yet "big enough to make it when [she's] done"--but most will speak to preschoolers. The illustrations successfully show the juxtaposition between big and little.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(3) K-3 Illustrated by Greg Shed. This first-person text recounts the story of the first Thanksgiving from a Native American viewpoint. Squanto's tale is told with respect and dignity, without glossing over the more difficult aspects of his life or the relationship between the native inhabitants and the colonists. The gouache paintings display a proud Native American past. Glos.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) K-3 Carolrhoda On My Own Books series. Illustrated by Lance Paladino. An accessible narrative introduces this important historical figure to independent readers. The text, which describes Carver's life as a slave in the mid-1860s, his education, and his pioneering work as an agricultural scientist, ends a bit abruptly. The paintings that accompany the text are somewhat stiff but warm. A brief afterword and a time line are included.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) 4-6 Passport to History series. Despite their unoriginal premise, these tour books for time-traveling visitors aim to convey information about two ancient cultures. Facts about daily life, art, customs, government, and economics are relayed in chatty chapters, with such titles as "Where to Stay" and "Where to Find Souvenirs." Reproductions of artifacts, photos of ruins, and text boxes with travel tips accompany the texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) 4-6 Passport to History series. Despite their unoriginal premise, these tour books for time-traveling visitors aim to convey information about two ancient cultures. Facts about daily life, art, customs, government, and economics are relayed in chatty chapters, with such titles as "Where to Stay" and "Where to Find Souvenirs." Reproductions of artifacts, photos of ruins, and text boxes with travel tips accompany the texts. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) 4-6 Feinberg examines Lincoln's motivation and purpose in giving this well-known and historic speech. Archival reproductions and drawings focus on places and people that played a part in the events surrounding Lincoln's address, including Robert E. Lee, Mary Todd Lincoln, and Edward Everett. Despite some repetition and excessive detail, this text provides an accessible context to Lincoln's words. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) 4-6 Spanning from five million B.C.E. to the present, this wide-ranging historical overview provides a glimpse at world cultures, empires, religions, leaders, and everyday life. Photographs, illustrations, maps, and artifacts are dispersed liberally throughout the crowded pages. A "Who's Who" page, which briefly highlights notable figures, concludes each of the five historical divisions. Glos., ind.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) K-3 Gateway Biography series. From her difficult childhood to her Emmy Award-winning talk show, O'Donnell's rise to fame is chronicled in this fan-pleasing biography. Stone's tendency to gush about O'Donnell's career and charitable contributions detracts from the book's objectivity, but the general facts are all there. Colorful photographs and graphics add to the fanzine look. A time line is included. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec

(4) 4-6 Living in Nantucket in the 1820s, Arthur Cooper was a real escaped slave who was pursued by slave catchers. Stowe's novel focuses on the fictional ten-year-old Phebe Folger, who befriends Arthur and his wife, Mary, who works for the Folgers. With this rich historical background, it's a shame the story of the real Coopers wasn't developed more.

Reviewer: Kristen Oravec