As a digital subscriber, you’ll receive unlimited access to Horn Book web exclusives and extensive archives, as well as access to our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database.
To access other site content, visit The Horn Book homepage.
To continue you need an active subscription to hbook.com.
Subscribe now to gain immediate access to everything hbook.com has to offer, as well as our highly searchable Guide/Reviews Database, which contains tens of thousands of short, critical reviews of books published in the United States for young people.
Thank you for registering. To have the latest stories delivered to your inbox, select as many free newsletters as you like below.
No thanks. Return to article
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| October, 2023
|
TradeISBN 9781499813944$18.99
|
EbookISBN 9781499814309$9.99
(2)
K-3
Illustrated by
Maithili Joshi.
Dahl's introduction to a little-known pioneer in aviation history tells the story of a determined, diminutive young woman in the male-dominated world of early-twentieth-century trick flying. After seeing an aeronaut perform at the North Carolina State Fair in 1907, Broadwick (1893-1978) is determined to take to the sky. At the next year's fair, she makes her debut as "The Doll Girl" and begins a career that would include more than eleven hundred jumps from balloons and airplanes and many firsts as a female aeronaut. Notably, a jump gone wrong leads Broadwick to create the ripcord that is still used today. Dahl's fast-paced narrative is interspersed with quotes from her subject ("It burned me up having to dress like a baby doll and having that name tacked on me!") and contemporaries, adding color and immediacy. (While the text does not shy away from some of the difficult aspects of Tiny's life, including her past as a child laborer, it solidly avoids other such biographical details as being a child bride and an abandoned preteen mother.) Joshi's movement-filled illustrations often show Broadwick from the back gazing into the distance, clearly a woman looking toward new horizons. An author's note offers additional history, along with a selected bibliography.
Reviewer: Laura Koenig
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2023
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| September, 2023
|
TradeISBN 9781499813791$18.99
|
EbookISBN 9781499814293$9.99
(2)
K-3
"Julia Elizabeth Wells was born into a melody--her childhood attuned to the timbre of the tiny English village where she heard music in the rhythm of the river, in the whistle of the wind, in the symphony of songbirds." This lyrical picture-book biography focuses on the challenges and successes of Andrews's early life. When her concert-pianist mother remarried and moved to London during WWII, Julie was summoned to join her and had a difficult time adjusting to life in a large city under constant threat of bombs. But her stepfather, also a musician, discovered her gift of a voice, paid for singing lessons, and promoted her career. Julie became successful so quickly that she performed for the queen while still a child. The book concludes with a brief summary of Andrews's accomplishments as an actor and author of children's books; in an appended author's note, Hedlund describes her personal connection to her subject. Soft-hued illustrations ranging from a series of small vignettes to double-page spreads reveal setting, action, emotion, and personality, complementing the alliterative text, which is full of musical references. The case cover offers a surprise: an illustration of young Julie by the river, with Mary Poppins reflected in the water. Back matter includes a timeline (but no source notes).
Reviewer: Christina Dorr
| Horn Book Magazine Issue:
September, 2023
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| July, 2023
|
TradeISBN 9781499813067$18.99
|
EbookISBN 9781499814262$9.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Stevie Lewis.
A picture-book biography of the world’s all-time strongest female chess player traces the Hungarian trailblazer’s journey from child prodigy to becoming the youngest chess grandmaster in history. Wallmark relates how Polgár’s coaches and uber-supportive family helped her make all the right moves to maximize her talent, and recounts the iconic, aggressive endgames that propelled her to international stardom en route to her crowning achievement. The book does not stand on ceremony when it comes to calling out the flagrant misogyny in the chess world, but sacrifices some emotional texture by failing to register other challenges Polgár and her family faced. Lewis’s digital illustrations in a palette of mostly neutral colors underscore Polgár’s steadiness and cool-headedness, as well as the stability provided by her parents and sisters.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| September, 2021
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-1189-6$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Chris Hsu.
This picture-book retrospective of current House Speaker Pelosi's life depicts her as a strong, independent girl, raised to champion those in need, who became a strong, independent American leader. Each page or spread features plot elements as well as direct quotes (on most of them) to support the narrative. Friendly, inviting illustrations show Pelosi at different stages of her life, in both personal and public scenes. Biographical, historical, and inspirational, this book does an effective job of personalizing a major historical figure and explaining why her contributions, including the 2010 Affordable Care Act, are so significant. A timeline and bibliography are appended.
48 pp.
| Little Bee
| August, 2020
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-1142-1$18.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Paola Escobar.
López follows the singer's short but influential career from childhood to young adulthood, emphasizing her Mexican American family's support and her natural talent. The tone is upbeat and focuses on Selena's devotion to family, her success, and her impact on Tejano and Latino music; events surrounding her murder are mentioned only in the back matter (leaving the main text feeling somewhat unfinished). After an illustrated timeline, López provides "A Little More About..." related topics including some history of Tejano culture, Tejano music, quinceañeras, and the Texas towns where Selena grew up. Escobar's warm, stylish illustrations have a southwestern vibe. Quotations in the text are unsourced.
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| May, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0804-9$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Joshua Heinsz.
"Boys play monster trucks with glee. / Girls bake cakes and serve hot tea." Gehl's energetic rhyming text and Heinsz's lively illustrations begin by setting up stereotypical gender ideas--then put on the breaks: "Except when they don't." The illustrations show kids doing and wearing what they like, gender expectations be damned. Sure it's single-issue, but the "be exactly who you are!" message is always welcome.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| April, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0776-9$17.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Becca Human.
When it's announced that a medieval prince must choose a bride, only one village maiden doesn't see him (or any man) as husband material. But when she meets the prince's sister at the ball... This follow-up to the likewise gay-positive Prince & Knight features rhymes that are indifferent to meter, but the sumptuous jewel-toned art gives the Middle Ages an enchanting aura.
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| April, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0742-4$17.99
(3)
PS
As they relax on their dilapidated sofa, a panda tells its penguin housemate that they need a new one. While out shopping, they disparage every prospective sofa ("Too squishy," "Too colorful," etc.). Upon returning home, they find the "perfect sofa": theirs. This sweet story about the comforts of home has cheeky visuals—e.g., the "too modern" sofa's pattern is Mondrian-esque.
36 pp.
| Little Bee
| February, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0712-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Tomoko Suzuki.
Rhyming text begins in Australia and meanders west, introducing typical breakfast foods in twelve countries. Brightly colored illustrations with a cut-paper look show smiling people eating Vegemite in Australia, hagleslag in the Netherlands, rashers and bangers in the UK, and more. Each country's double-page spread includes a map, a flag, and images of landmarks in addition to a small prose section offering more detailed information about the meals.
48 pp.
| Little Bee
| January, 2019
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0411-9$18.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Frank Morrison.
This look at the pioneers of rap music begins with canonical African American poets and ends with the women who rapped first: "Female MCs break it down: Salt-N-Pepa and TLC. / Queen Latifah sports a crown, reigning like royalty." The rhymes suffer a bit without a backing track, but the art, spiked with graffiti motifs, hits all the right notes. Glos.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| August, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0664-9$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Masha D'yans.
"Pictures were his words, fashion his language." Blumenthal's quote-filled tribute to New York Times street-fashion photographer Bill Cunningham focuses on his approach. D'yans's vibrant watercolors catwalk across each page, emphasizing the patterns, palettes, and shapes of the clothing that so enamored Cunningham; the man himself is fittingly pictured where he most liked to be: behind the camera. An author's note provides more straightforward biographical information. Bib.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0496-6$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Daniel Duncan.
Nate loves to pretend that he's a shark, although his older brother points out that real sharks can swim. So Nate takes lessons, conquering his fear of the water and ultimately beating his brother in a competition. The humorous stylized cartoons make the most of Shark Nate-O's triumph in this appealing fantasy for both shark lovers and the water avoidant.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| August, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0682-3$17.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Keum Jin Song.
In 2016, South Korean church members, originally refugees from North Korea, sent rice bags attached to helium balloons to North Korea to feed starving people. In this fictionalized story, a girl tries to convince other children who feel North Koreans are "the enemy" to join the effort. Slick digital illustrations contrast the lush South Korean countryside with barren North Korea. Includes extensive background material. Reading list.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| March, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0529-1$17.99
(3)
PS
In this spin on "The Three Little Pigs," each of three pugs tries to deter a pesky cat from sleeping in the wee doggies' basket: one lines it with (drinking) straws, another with "sticks" (pencils, drumsticks, etc.), the third with "bricks" (building blocks). This simple tale, with clutter-free art and an everybody's-happy resolution, is a grand starter-folktale for toddlers.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| May, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0552-9$17.99
(4)
K-3
Illustrated by
Stevie Lewis.
A prince must choose a bride, but all the women he meets lack...something. He realizes what's missing when a knight in shining armor saves him from a dragon. The simplistic story works as a valentine to same-sex love, but several verses stumble over themselves to complete a rhyme; the glossy illustrations conjure classic Disney movie stills.
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| January, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0536-9$16.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Alisa Coburn.
A fox sneaks into an unoccupied home ("Hello, door") and proceeds, Grinch-like, to bag up loot: "Hello, necklace. Hello, rings. / HELLO, OTHER SPARKLY THINGS!" He's about to bolt when the irate bear owners return and throw him out ("Hello, window..."). The rhymes are word perfect, and the urbane art gives the wily fox-robber the appeal of a Looney Tunes character.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| September, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0741-7$17.99
(3)
K-3
Little Penguin longs to fly like other birds, but despite multiple attempts--shown in a series of small, comical drawings of determined flapping--he cannot get airborne. He discovers, though, that for him, swimming is flying. Kuo uses shades of black, white, and blue to illustrate her straightforward text, with loose, sketchlike lines that allow the crayon-like textures to show.
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| July, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0544-4$17.99
(3)
K-3
Illustrated by
Joshua Heinsz.
Paco is a restless student with a vivid imagination; he'd rather daydream and draw than pay attention in class. When his profesor notices Paco's artistic talent, he is introduced to a whole new world: the art room. The serviceable rhyming text includes Spanish words sprinkled throughout. Bright colors bring the illustrations--and Paco's imagination--to vibrant life. Glos.
40 pp.
| Little Bee
| August, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0681-6$17.99
(3)
PS
Illustrated by
Alea Marley.
Loretta anxiously awaited the birth of her baby cousin. Before she knows it, Gabe's first birthday is approaching, and Loretta becomes increasing worried because she doesn't have the perfect gift. However, from showing Gabe lots of affection ("Who's the best baby on the block?") and being helpful, Loretta discovers that she is Gabe's greatest gift. A sweet, emotively illustrated story of a tight-knit African American family.
32 pp.
| Little Bee
| April, 2018
|
TradeISBN 978-1-4998-0528-4$16.99
(4)
PS
Illustrated by
Stephanie Six.
The rhyming text of this saccharine sequel to What Daddies Like lists a host of things that "mommies like" as it follows a bear mother and child through their day, from morning yoga to a library visit to bedtime. The soft illustrations are generic but benign, and they underscore the gentle tone.