by Peggy Thomas ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 8, 2019
This impressive treatment of a complex, admirable scientist and man provides hours of learning for curious kids.
Carver’s life and work are explored in meticulous detail in this activity-filled biography.
Readers who simply associate Carver’s name with the peanut may be surprised to learn how he learned his homesteading and farming skills, that he was an early conservationist, or that he vigorously disagreed with Booker T. Washington at the Tuskegee Institute on some matters despite their common goals. Readers will learn not only what is known about Carver’s life and work, but why some details are difficult to confirm (even Carver did not correct what he saw written about himself) and how the social climate of Reconstruction and segregation affected his work. The indignity of having to enter a separate door to speak to a white audience, and of giving the same speech to black and white audiences at separate times, is not brushed aside, but it is Carver’s personality, immense achievements, and recognition that shine. Thoroughly researched and honestly presented, this book is filled with enlightening information and is also an excellent example for young readers of how to present historical accounts. The activities are inspired by Carver’s life and values, and most are not only easy to do at home, but involve skills readers can build on, like making a rock collection and cooking with weeds.
This impressive treatment of a complex, admirable scientist and man provides hours of learning for curious kids. (timeline, resources, notes, bibliography) (Biography. 9-14)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-91586-400-3
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Chicago Review Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
More by Peggy Thomas
BOOK REVIEW
by Peggy Thomas ; illustrated by Stacy Innerst
BOOK REVIEW
by Peggy Thomas ; illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham
BOOK REVIEW
by Peggy Thomas ; illustrated by Stacy Innerst
by Pedro Martín ; illustrated by Pedro Martín ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2023
A retro yet timeless story of family and identity.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Kirkus Reviews'
Best Books Of 2023
Newbery Honor
Martín brings his successful Mexikid Stories online comic series to print.
Living in California’s Central Coast as a first-generation Mexican American, Pedro (or the “American-style” Peter) struggles to find his place. As an American kid growing up in the 1970s, he loves Star Wars and Happy Days but dislikes the way his five oldest siblings, who were born in Mexico, make him feel less Mexican just because he and the three other younger siblings were born after his parents immigrated to the U.S. to work picking strawberries. A family trip to Jalisco to bring their abuelito back to California to live with them presents Pedro with an opportunity to get in touch with his roots and learn more about the places his family calls home. Told from Pedro’s perspective, the panels read as a stream-of-consciousness travelogue as he regales readers with his adventures from the road. Along the way, Pedro has fresh encounters with Mexican culture and experiences some unexpected side quests. Full of humor, heart, and a decent amount of gross-out moments, Martín’s coming-of-age memoir hits all the right notes. Though the family’s travels took place decades ago, the struggles with establishing identity, especially as a child of immigrants whose identity straddles two cultures, feel as current as ever. The vibrant, action-packed panels offer plentiful details for readers to pore over, from scenes of crowded family chaos to the sights of Mexico.
A retro yet timeless story of family and identity. (family photos, author’s note) (Graphic memoir. 9-14)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780593462287
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
More About This Book
PERSPECTIVES
edited by Mayim Bialik ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 2, 2021
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both.
Flash, Batman, and other characters from the DC Comics universe tackle supervillains and STEM-related topics and sometimes, both.
Credited to 20 writers and illustrators in various combinations, the 10 episodes invite readers to tag along as Mera and Aquaman visit oceanic zones from epipelagic to hadalpelagic; Supergirl helps a young scholar pick a science-project topic by taking her on a tour of the solar system; and Swamp Thing lends Poison Ivy a hand to describe how DNA works (later joining Swamp Kid to scuttle a climate-altering scheme by Arcane). In other episodes, various costumed creations explain the ins and outs of diverse large- and small-scale phenomena, including electricity, atomic structure, forensic techniques, 3-D printing, and the lactate threshold. Presumably on the supposition that the characters will be more familiar to readers than the science, the minilectures tend to start from simple basics, but the figures are mostly both redrawn to look more childlike than in the comics and identified only in passing. Drawing styles and page designs differ from chapter to chapter but not enough to interrupt overall visual unity and flow—and the cast is sufficiently diverse to include roles for superheroes (and villains) of color like Cyborg, Kid Flash, and the Latina Green Lantern, Jessica Cruz. Appended lists of websites and science-based YouTube channels, plus instructions for homespun activities related to each episode, point inspired STEM-winders toward further discoveries.
Contentwise, an arbitrary assortment…but sure to draw fans of comics, of science, or of both. (Graphic nonfiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77950-382-4
Page Count: 160
Publisher: DC
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Share your opinion of this book
More by Mayim Bialik
BOOK REVIEW
by Mayim Bialik
BOOK REVIEW
by Mayim Bialik ; illustrated by Siobhán Gallagher
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.