Absorbing fare for young history detectives.
Analytical studies of the causes, courses, and aftermaths of five disasters, from the story of the sole survivor of an Arctic expedition to direct experiences of Hurricane Katrina and the eruption of Mount St. Helens.
Drawn largely from accounts of eyewitnesses or survivors, each of journalist Crowley Redding’s thoroughly researched cases features a dramatic recap of events supplemented by thumbnail profiles of significant figures, “Danger Clue!” text boxes that heighten suspense, and “Fact File” side notes on, for instance, the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale or the topography of the Montana wilderness area where 11 smoke jumpers died in a wildfire in 1949. Each account closes with an analysis of changes that came about following the events—mostly improvements to forecasting, preparation, and rescue procedures. The author leads off with the ordeal of Ada Delutuk Blackjack, a young Iñupiaq seamstress hired to look after four ill-prepared, ill-fated white adventurers sent to explore and occupy remote Wrangel Island in 1921. The book continues throughout to highlight women and Indigenous residents of the locales where the episodes took place, and Cathro’s illustrations reflect that diversity as well as accentuating the drama. And though some of the accompanying ideas for hands-on activities, such as one for the Montana tragedy that suggests lining up kitchen matches at different intervals and lighting them to show how far fires can jump, could lead to painful or at least messy results, they do add interactive elements.
Absorbing fare for young history detectives. (author’s note, source notes, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2026
ISBN: 9781536213423
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2026
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information.
Two youngsters embark on a journey peppered with history, trivia, and skits while teaching money lessons.
Meet Mellody and John, the young stars of this currency showcase. Their very first dialogue offers a taste of the intriguing information to come, from the ancient Mayans’ use of cacao beans as payment to the origins of the piggy bank. The book offers a chronologically and geographically broad timeline of the history of money, encompassing the past 3.9 billion years (starting with meteorite crashes that scattered metals—“the very first bank deposit”) and referencing practices across five continents. Readers will find themselves eagerly sharing the facts gleaned here, including the centuries-old origins of terms and expressions still used today. Mellody and John’s fun banter crucially reflects their experiences with money, such as their families’ differing attitudes toward allowances. Both are savers as well as givers, sharing stories about giving to charity. In one especially entertaining section, a cat and a bunny converse in money-related catchphrases that are separately defined at the bottom of each page. Stevens’ watercolors are appropriately realistic and appealing, whether depicting Mellody’s pretend bank or Elizabeth II’s butler ironing a 10-pound note. Messages about money’s use as a means to an end, rather than an end in itself, ensure that readers will think about their own purposes for their savings. Mellody and John are Black.
A variety show brimming with esoteric and practical information. (index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781536224719
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
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