(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Carson Ellis. In 1961 Marseille, France, twelve-year-old Charlie witnesses children working together as pickpockets, and he becomes an active participant in their schemes. Charlie's worlds collide when the Whiz Mob gang works a Big Tip--a gala at which his American diplomat father is an important guest. Fans of the more fantastical Wildwood Chronicles will appreciate this clever caper's similarly witty, self-aware narrative voice and personality-filled pencil illustrations. Glos.

Reviewer: Katie Bircher | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2018

(3) YA Piper Baird is thrilled to win a scholarship to renowned Chiswick Academy in Washington, DC. Vying for a prestigious award for teen journalists, Piper hunts for an exclusive scoop, zeroing in on the lavish lifestyle of her privileged classmates; complications ensue when she falls for one of her subjects. Piper's humor and commitment to journalism make this otherwise familiar teen romance stand out.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) 4-6 Thirteen-year-old Irish boy Michael and his family are Allied spies in 1943 Nazi Germany, where Michael is posing as a member of the Hitler Youth. He becomes involved in a plot to uncover Projekt 1065, Germany's development of a new, faster plane without propellers. Based on true events and documented facts, this historical thriller and coming-of-age novel will keep readers highly engaged.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(1) 4-6 Byrd divides Franklin's life into seventeen whimsically labeled double-page spreads covering topics ranging from his fascination with electricity to his ideas for social progress to his diplomatic roles. Informative, exploratory, nonpandering text is set on attractive pages; spot art and larger illustrations provide information and present a visual record. This book shimmers with excitement, begging to be read. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2012

(3) YA When Tessa's straight-as-an-arrow FBI father and her newly fashionable mother object to her relationship with the sophisticated Lucien, Tessa rebels and determines to follow her heart. But Lucien's dark side quickly proves too much to handle. Conway's adept use of the Buenos Aires setting tempts readers to imagine life as a wealthy ex-pat, and Tessa's conflict and choices are deeply felt.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(4) YA Ethics of Politics series. These books examine ethical issues in politics from a global perspective. Political describes and compares governmental systems throughout world history as well as those operating today. International centers on how world governments interact and work together on issues facing the global community (human rights, population explosion, etc.). Photographs, maps, inserts, and topics for discussion extend the dense texts. Reading list, websites. Glos., ind. Review covers these Ethics of Politics titles: International Relations and Political Systems.

Reviewer: Luther B. Clegg

(4) 4-6 The daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia, Lucy longs to explore the country. After she is kidnapped, Lucy turns to her knowledge of the Ethiopian landscape and wildlife to make her way home. The book is dramatic and informative, but the facts often weigh on the narrative and Lucy's survival in the wilderness (though based on a true story) strains credibility.

Reviewer: Hannah Rodgers Barnaby

(2) YA Hale (Goose Girl, Enna Burning) revisits the character of Razo. Having been elevated to membership in Bayern's Own guard because of services rendered in the recent war with Tira, Razo is chosen for an important peacekeeping mission. While Hale's sketch of Razo is engaging, even more compelling is the well-played political situation in the meeting of two exotic and different fantasy cultures.

Reviewer: Anita L. Burkam | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2006

(3) 4-6 In World History series. As a high-ranking naval officer with a commanding personality, Matthew Perry was sent with four warships in 1853 to do what no one until then had accomplished: force Japan to trade with the United States. By a mixture of will, diplomacy, and military threat he succeeded, as Gaines relates in this readable account, which is complemented with black-and-white photos, maps, and a time line. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Frieda F. Bostian

(2) YA Sacrificing his career, Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat in Lithuania in 1940, disobeyed his government and issued thousands of visas, ultimately saving the lives of an estimated six thousand Jews. Gold's inclusion of two Sugihara visa recipients, both children at the time, gives the biography a compelling slant. Despite occasionally stiff prose, the account is engaging and dramatic. Photos and an epilogue on Sugihara's life after the war are included.

Reviewer: Jennifer M. Brabander | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2000