(2) YA David begins a furtive sexual relationship with his teammate Sean. But Sean's denials of his homosexuality begin to weigh on David, who questions whether their relationship will ever evolve. Bantle's writing is crisp and spare, with no sentimentality or long-winded introspection. A refreshing contribution to the "coming out" genre and a powerful example of an honest teen voice.

Reviewer: Michael Santangelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2009

(2) YA In alternating chapters, the novel's three main characters describe living in New York City after the attack on the World Trade Center. The teens, at first loosely acquainted, become closer as they learn to cope together. Levithan eschews stock characters and self-help clichés to portray distinct individuals who deal with grief and uncertainty in different ways. A powerful story about emotional rescue.

Reviewer: Michael Santangelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2009

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Matt Tavares. Rappaport's "biography" consists of fictional first-person accounts representing the voices of people who assisted in the statue's design, building, financing, and transport. The stories, arranged chronologically, together convey a vivid sense of the ingenuity, politics, and hardships involved in making the statue a reality. Tavares's watercolor, pencil, and ink images complement each account precisely and emphasize the intimacy of Rappaport's vignettes. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Michael Santangelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Benny Andrews. Belton's fictional text honors Josephine Carroll Smith, an extraordinary African-American educator and mentor who died in 1997 at the age of 103. In the story, "Miss Josie" welcomes a young boy into her Washington, D.C., home for a visit just as she had welcomed the boy's father when he was an impoverished student. Brightly colored, well-composed illustrations complement the text's tone and mood.

Reviewer: Michael Santangelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2003

(2) 4-6 Ten-year-old orphan Theo, a member of the Greek youth resistance, is witness to his older brother's execution by Nazis. Taken to the home of a priest and his healer wife, Theo explores his feelings through the puppet shows he performs. Harrison's first novel contains rich and sometimes challenging metaphor, literary allusion, and layers of understanding that deepen as events unfold.

Reviewer: Michael Santangelo | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 1999