A fine escapade related with proper drama and likely to be news even to well-read young historians.
Allied prisoners of war stage a series of intrepid escapes from German captors in this young readers’ version of a true story from World War I.
Established to hold captured Allied officers with histories of escape attempts, the camp at Holzminden, a “land-locked Alcatraz,” was 150 miles from the Dutch border and bristling with guards. Many of the inmates, though, were stimulated rather than discouraged by these obstacles and, from its foundation, made tries at freedom—most notably on the night of July 23, 1918, when 29 men crawled out through a narrow tunnel dug over the previous months. Only 10 eluded the ensuing manhunt, but the exploit made headlines in Great Britain and was, Bascomb (The Escape Artists, 2018, etc.) claims, “the greatest escape of the Great War.” Along with introducing a cast of colorful characters like RAF Lt. Harold Medlicott, “Britain’s answer to Harry Houdini,” who had already broken out of nine other camps, the author presents a picture of camp life as an oddly civilized affair in which the prisoners were so well-supplied from home that in the war’s immediate aftermath local residents came to them for food. The tales of the digging of the cramped tunnel and of the escape itself make suspenseful reading, enhanced by diagrams and photographs.
A fine escapade related with proper drama and likely to be news even to well-read young historians. (maps, sources, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-14034-7
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Levine/Scholastic Focus
Review Posted Online: June 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
Environmental chemistry that is eminently readable and hopeful.
This is a solutions-driven survey of the greatest threats to our increasingly toxic planet.
While covering just the tip of the proverbial iceberg, this overview of environmental chemistry touches on topics ranging from CO2 emissions and pesticides to nuclear fission. It at times delves into scientific details—such as the subatomic breakdown of the elements—and this information is presented in a way that is generally friendly to its intended young adult audience. Zimmer (Lighting up the Brain, 2018, etc.), a professor of chemistry, includes numerous anecdotes that make for compelling reading, for example, relating how Marie Curie’s notebooks are so radioactive that to this day they have to be stored in lead-lined boxes. Included in every chapter are up-to-date events such as the environmental and human injustice of the Flint water crisis. With the litany of hazards explored, it would be easy to feel hopeless, but Zimmer ends each chapter with the heading, “What Can You Do?” These sections provide advice for achievable lifestyle changes as simple as bringing your own reusable bags to the market. Also woven throughout are viable solutions that have already been implemented, such as the Sono arsenic filtration system being used in Bangladesh. Despite the dire subject matter, this slim, amply illustrated book is engaging and even uplifting. Terrific for classroom use.
Environmental chemistry that is eminently readable and hopeful. (source notes, glossary, further information, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-1979-4
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Nov. 6, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
Packed with fascinating information, inspiring stories, and a call to action, this book delivers a powerful message in an...
Readers discover the indispensable functions of trees and why they are so important to the health of humans and the planet.
Beginning with a sketch of the nature and scale of the problems of deforestation and forest degradation, Koch (3D Printing, 2017) goes on to describe the many uses of trees, including being sources of ancient and modern medicines, providing oxygen, protecting against drought, and fighting climate change. The body of the book explores numerous topics in detail, including the health benefits for humans of walking in the woods, ecosystems in the forest canopy, and communication between trees, in a section that covers the pioneering work of Dr. Suzanne Simard. Other profiles focus on scientists and environmentalists such as Wangari Maathai. Transitions between sections are smooth; the narrative text is both clear and engaging. Color photographs give a personal feel to the individual stories, and diagrams depicting the water cycle, the “Wood Wide Web,” and more clarify natural processes. The international focus of the book demonstrates the interconnectedness of the issues affecting trees and humans alike. It ends on a hopeful note, offering readers concrete suggestions for things they can do to support trees and the environment.
Packed with fascinating information, inspiring stories, and a call to action, this book delivers a powerful message in an effective package. (source notes, glossary, bibliography, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-15)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5415-1977-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Twenty-First Century/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
