In a collection that shows religion brushed with mystery, Sobel retells the stories of Moses, who is always surrounded by angels, his life washed in magic, miracles, and exaggerations. Derived, according to an introduction by Elie Wiesel, from biblical commentaries, the tales cover familiar ground (Moses’s adoption by the pharaoh’s daughter, the plagues, the freeing of Israel, and the years in the desert) and more fantastic realms, with tours through the seven heavens, visions of the future, and battles among the angels, who guide and protect Moses at every stage of his life. By turns serious and delightfully eccentric, these unusual renderings of the old stories are matched by Podwal’s iconic, vibrant paintings. It’s an entertaining volume, surely destined for applications beyond the obvious religious ones. (Folklore. 8-12)
Pub Date: Feb. 9, 1999
ISBN: 0-385-32612-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 1998
A surface-level salute to sisterhood.
A collection of profiles of sisters who have influenced culture, inspired change, and made history.
Choosing subjects connected by the bond of sisterhood, Lewis offers an overview of the lives of some of the most influential and famous women in history whose lives span continents and centuries. From tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams and the Azmi sisters, Pakistani Canadian field hockey players, to politician Kamala Harris and her civil rights lawyer sister, Maya, readers are introduced to women who have established names for themselves in their respective fields. Alongside towering literary, artistic, and political figures, readers will find the Kardashians and Kate and Pippa Middleton. The author is keen to note the humanity in the women’s interpersonal relationships by sharing instances of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and discord as well as the moments that celebrate the firm bonds of sisterhood. The very brief nature of each profile—consisting of a title page, an attractive full-page portrait, and two scant pages of text offering cursory information—means that the book reads like a series of Wikipedia entries. Indeed, the author drew heavily upon secondary sources such as general news websites for material. Although the profiles are not in-depth enough to serve as material for school reports, the work may inspire appreciation and further interest.
A surface-level salute to sisterhood. (further reading, sources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-294765-9
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
A convincing and charming portrayal of a woman who made a difference.
A free-verse, first-person fictional account told from the point of view of Rachel Carson that relates her remarkable life.
From childhood, Carson was encouraged by her mother to appreciate but not meddle with the natural world. Life was never easy in the Carson household, but the future biologist found a way to combine science with her love of writing. Over time, she would encourage millions of readers to admire and protect our world through several influential and acclaimed books, including her best-known work, Silent Spring (1962), published two years before her death. Burg’s narrative follows the events of Carson’s life closely, but her relationships with her family members receive the most attention. They, as well as Dorothy, the intimate friend and kindred spirit she finally found, share her love for the natural world. (That there may have been more to the women’s relationship than friendship is not explored.) Gracefully written in short, rhythmic lines, the text is pleasing to the eye and ear. Many pages of this beautifully presented celebration are enhanced by Blackall’s tiny, hand-labeled, grayscale drawings of butterflies, birds, pond-water creatures, and more, reminding readers of Carson’s own sense of wonder. In an appended author’s note, Burg notes her sympathy with her subject and explains her choice to tell her story as fiction, so that she could “capture Rachel’s indomitable spirit.” Her sources are outlined in the acknowledgments.
A convincing and charming portrayal of a woman who made a difference. (Verse fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781338883381
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
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