Reminding us that African-Americans have fought in all of our country's wars, Reef (Buffalo Soldiers, 1993) recounts the heroic acts of 14 men from Crispus Attucks to Lonnie Davis, one of the 113,000 black soldiers who fought in the Persian Gulf War. Some were killed in battle, some enjoyed successful careers in and out of the military; most faced discrimination and deeply ingrained prejudice (no Medal of Honor was awarded in this century to an African-American until 1953). The lucid, simply phrased accounts may be sketchy on background detail and subsequent history, but Reef's appreciation for her subjects comes through loud and clear. Scattered b&w photos; bibliography; index. (Biography. 10-13)
Pub Date: May 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-8050-3106-5
Page Count: 80
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1994
A blend of fact and fiction in both text and pictures add up to a resistible invitation to create coded messages by substituting Egyptian hieroglyphics for plain language. In the perfunctory plot, an archeologist acquires a mysterious, veiled helper who guides him from one simple written clue to the next, leading ultimately to an artifact that was stolen and hidden away thousands of years ago. Along the way there’s plenty of opportunity to explain ancient Egyptian writing and funerary customs, to fill page space with small photos or images of surviving or reconstructed tombs, sarcophagi, painted murals and statuary and to practice translating the aforementioned clues. The historical information is easily available elsewhere, and though the downloadable typeface on the embedded CD will make the creation of new messages much less tedious than having to draw hieroglyphics by hand, even dedicated fans of codes and ciphers aren’t likely to give this more than a quick once-over. (Fact/fiction blend. 11-13)
Pub Date: June 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-7534-6411-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Kingfisher
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Who would guess that candy, handkerchiefs and one man would play a significant role in post–World War II Germany? As the subtitle indicates, Gail Halvorsen, a lieutenant in the U.S. Force, became the “Chocolate Pilot” when his face-to-face encounter with a group of starving children in Berlin led to a personal mission. Halvorsen gave them two sticks of gum, which they all shared, and that was the start of Operation Little Vittles. Inspired by the children’s willingness to forego Soviet-offered food in favor of freedom, Halvorsen and fellow pilots made numerous flights, dropping hanky parachutes that carried tons of candy and gum to eagerly awaiting children, who learned that the planes’ “wiggling their wings” meant goodies were on their way. Illustrated with black-and-white archival photos, the six chapters convey Halvorsen’s life, interjecting comments and correspondence from individual children. The abundance of war details aid in the transition from one chapter to the next but tend to overrun the telling, hampering narrative flow. Readers who stick with it, however, will gain a unusual perspective on the beginnings of the Cold War. (Nonfiction/biography. 10-13)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-58089-336-7
Page Count: 120
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2010
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