by Peter Lourie ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2001
The beauty of the scenery, the mysteries of the Maya, and the dangers of the jungle combine to make this a fascinating story of discovery. Lourie’s (On the Trail of Sacagawea, not reviewed, etc.) visit to Palenque, an ancient Maya city in Mexico near the Guatemalan border, is described in informative and episodic text and wonderful photographs. Not only does he detail the work of the excavators and the mapping crew, but he also tells of the archaeological history of Palenque, relates some of the history and beliefs of the Maya people, journeys to a nearby village of modern Maya people, and relates his conversations with Moises, a native with a profound spiritual connection with the Maya. No book about the Maya would be complete without mentioning the flora and fauna of the jungle. From scorpions and a pet coatimundi to the howler monkeys and fer-de-lance snakes, the animals of the forest surrounded the archaeologists every day. Fighting the jungle plants is a major battle—the site is literally hidden in vegetation, much of which has destroyed the Maya buildings. Although the author’s visits with Moises may be a little over children’s heads, the rest of the text is broken into small pieces and engages the reader in the adventure that is archaeology. (glossary, index, author’s note, suggested reading) (Nonfiction. 8-14)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2001
ISBN: 1-56397-839-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2001
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by Alyssa Bermudez ; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 17, 2021
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.
Through the author’s own childhood diary entries, a seventh grader details her inner life before and after 9/11.
Alyssa’s diary entries start in September 2000, in the first week of her seventh grade year. She’s 11 and dealing with typical preteen concerns—popularity and anxiety about grades—along with other things more particular to her own life. She’s shuffling between Queens and Manhattan to share time between her divorced parents and struggling with thick facial hair and classmates who make her feel like she’s “not a whole person” due to her mixed White and Puerto Rican heritage. Alyssa is endlessly earnest and awkward as she works up the courage to talk to her crush, Alejandro; gushes about her dreams of becoming a shoe designer; and tries to solve her burgeoning unibrow problem. The diaries also have a darker side, as a sense of impending doom builds as the entries approach 9/11, especially because Alyssa’s father works in finance in the World Trade Center. As a number of the diary entries are taken directly from the author’s originals, they effortlessly capture the loud, confusing feelings middle school brings out. The artwork, in its muted but effective periwinkle tones, lends a satisfying layer to the diary’s accessible and delightful format.
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 8-13)Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-77427-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
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by Peggy Thomas & illustrated by Layne Johnson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2008
A pleasing new picture book looks at George Washington’s career through an agricultural lens. Sprinkling excerpts from his letters and diaries throughout to allow its subject to speak in his own voice, the narrative makes a convincing case for Washington’s place as the nation’s First Farmer. His innovations, in addition to applying the scientific method to compost, include a combination plow-tiller-harrow, the popularization of the mule and a two-level barn that put horses to work at threshing grain in any weather. Thomas integrates Washington’s military and political adventures into her account, making clear that it was his frustration as a farmer that caused him to join the revolutionary cause. Lane’s oil illustrations, while sometimes stiff, appropriately portray a man who was happiest when working the land. Backmatter includes a timeline, author’s notes on both Mount Vernon and Washington the slaveholder, resources for further exploration and a bibliography. (Picture book/biography. 8-12)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-59078-460-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Calkins Creek/Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2008
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