A fascinating look at a thoughtful, courageous woman.
The story of an unusual woman who printed the Declaration of Independence.
Mary Katharine Goddard was determined to be recognized. Though she didn’t attend school, she was fortunate to have a mother who tutored her in reading and math. When Mary and her mother worked in brother William’s print shop, she could see another option for her life, beyond marriage and motherhood. She became immersed in her profession, relishing the hard physical work. She printed newspapers, books, advertisements, and more, as well as information about events that were moving the 13 colonies toward independence from Britain. When the Revolution began, she was fully aware that she was committing treason, proudly placing her name, M.K. Goddard, on every paper she issued. Mary was chosen to print the first official copies of the Declaration of Independence, which showed the names of the signers. She made her own statement by adding her full name as printer. “That was Mary.” The tale is filled with details of America’s revolutionary period, insights into Mary’s character, and facts about the printing process—“Whoosh!” “Pound!” “Crank!”—all greatly enhanced by bright, sharply delineated illustrations accompanied by sepia insets that provide further historical information. Mary was white, but some workers and townspeople have darker skin. In the backmatter, the author notes that upon her death, Mary freed the enslaved woman she owned, Belinda, and left her all her possessions.
A fascinating look at a thoughtful, courageous woman. (about Mary Katherine Goddard, printing history of the Declaration of Independence, printing and publishing in colonial times, select bibliography, author’s note) (Picture book-biography. 6-10)Pub Date: Feb. 18, 2025
ISBN: 9781626723115
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An inspirational look at one girl’s quest to make sure that all skin tones are visible and available in the classroom.
A Black girl’s simple observation propels her into activism.
Woodard, who launched the More Than Peach Project—which arranges for classrooms and children in need to receive kits that include art supplies and boxes of multicultural crayons (crayons in a variety of skin tones)—relates the incident that sparked her journey. As the book begins, she is dropped off at school and notices that her family’s skin tone differs from that of her classmates. While it is clear that she is one of a few children of color at school, that difference isn’t really felt until her friends start asking for the “skin-color” crayon when they mean peach. She’s bothered that no one else seems to notice that skin comes in many colors, so she devises a unique way of bringing everyone’s attention to that fact. With support from her family and her school, she encourages her fellow classmates to rethink their language and starts an initiative to ensure that everyone’s skin tone is represented in each crayon box. Appealing, realistic artwork depicts Woodard’s experiences, while endpapers feature More Than Peach crayon boxes and childlike illustrations of kids of different ethnicities doing various activities. The story is stirring and will motivate budding activists. (This book was reviewed digitally; the review has been updated for factual accuracy.)
An inspirational look at one girl’s quest to make sure that all skin tones are visible and available in the classroom. (note from Woodard, information on Woodard’s journey into activism, instructions on starting a drive) (Picture-book biography. 6-10)Pub Date: July 26, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-80927-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: April 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2022
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