A meticulously researched account for those with a serious interest in the subject.
A history professor tackles the Salem witch trials.
With this comprehensive work, Kennedy floods readers with extensive detail about the key players, political machinations, and social dynamics that fueled the crisis. Her research is undeniably impressive, and the cultural context is rich, exploring everything from Puritan beliefs to the Little Ice Age’s impact on witch accusations across Europe. The book reads largely as straightforward nonfiction, with occasional rhetorical questions or statements from the narrator (“Do you suppose people jumped onto the pews to get a better look?” “You remember Giles Corey, who testified against his wife, Martha, on March 21?”) that feel more like a modern voice commenting on historical events. The sheer volume of names, dates, and interconnected relationships results in a dense reading experience that may overwhelm those with little prior knowledge. While the “Who’s Who” guide will help them navigate the cast of characters, this thorough work will be most appreciated by students who already have some context; these readers—especially those eager to learn more—will be satisfied, as will many adults with an interest in the topic. Moody, shadowy black-and-white illustrations break up the text.
A meticulously researched account for those with a serious interest in the subject. (author’s note, further reading, recipe) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781523530045
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality.
An examination of the history of Chinese American experiences.
Blackburn opens with a note to readers about growing up feeling invisible as a multicultural, biracial Chinese American. She notes the tremendous diversity of Chinese American history and writes that this book is a starting point for learning more. The evenly paced narrative starts with the earliest recorded arrival of the Chinese in America in 1834. A teenage girl, whose real name is unknown, arrived in New York Harbor with the Carnes brothers, merchants who imported Chinese goods and put her on display “like an animal in a circus.” The author then examines shifting laws, U.S. and global political and economic climates, and changing societal attitudes. The book introduces the highlighted people—including Yee Ah Tye, Wong Kim Ark, Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, and Vincent Chen—in relation to lawsuits or other transformative events; they also stand as examples for explaining concepts such as racial hierarchy and the model minority myth. Maps, photos, and documents are interspersed throughout. Chapters close with questions that encourage readers to think critically about systems of oppression, actively engage with the material, and draw connections to their own lives. Although the book covers a wide span of history, from the Gold Rush to the rise in anti-Asian hate during the Covid-19 pandemic, it thoroughly explains the various events. Blackburn doesn’t shy away from describing terrible setbacks, but she balances them with examples of solidarity and progress.
Deftly written and informative; a call for vigilance and equality. (resources, bibliography, image credits) (Nonfiction. 10-14)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593567630
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
A superb tale of an era and an effort that forever changed our world.
In late December 1938, German chemist Otto Hahn discovered that uranium atoms could be split, and just a few months later the race to build an atomic bomb was on.
The story unfolds in three parts, covering American attempts to build the bomb, how the Soviets tried to steal American designs and how the Americans tried to keep the Germans from building a bomb. It was the eve of World War II, and the fate of the world was at stake, “[b]ut how was a theoretical physicist supposed to save the world?” It’s a true spy thriller, ranging from the football stadium at the University of Chicago to the mountains of Norway, from the deserts of New Mexico to laboratories in East Tennessee, and all along the way spies in the United States were feeding sensitive information to the KGB. Groups of photographs are sprinkled throughout the volume, offering just enough visual support for the splendid character development in the writing, and thorough documentation is provided in the backmatter. It takes a lot of work to make a complicated subject clear and exciting, and from his prodigious research and storytelling skill, Sheinkin has created a nonfiction story young people will wantto read.
A superb tale of an era and an effort that forever changed our world. (source notes, quotation notes, acknowledgments, photo credits, index) (Nonfiction. 10 & up)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59643-487-5
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: July 17, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2012
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