At his children's request, one of Britain's poet laureates (1813-43) explains ``How does the Water/Come down at Lodore?''—a waterfall at the upper end of Derwentwater, also a favorite haunt of Beatrix Potter's. ``And moreover he tasked me/To tell him in rhyme.'' The indulgent father complies, ``For of rhymes I had store...Because I was Laureate /To them and the King.'' Rhymes indeed, cascading as uninhibited as falling water! Southey begins gently as the water trickles from its source, then accelerates with the precipitous descent: ``And pouring and roaring,/And waving and raving,/and tossing and crossing''—to breathless, and hilarious, length. Meanwhile, Gerstein's paintings are as lovely and as deftly drawn as they are comical; he pictures the poet and his children in a miraculous journey—along with the water, the children sporting with fish, umbrellas, and a paper hat that becomes a boat for the family cat while their father, crowned with laurel and quill in hand, diligently pursues his versifying. Adding to the fun, several pages turn sideways to create tall double spreads. A delightfully merry romp. Glossary. (Poetry/Picture book. 4+)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 1991
ISBN: 0-8037-1025-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
Eleven years before the Civil War, the seeds of internal discontent took root when Congress passed the Compromise of 1850, a fugitive slave law designed to pacify slave owners in the South, when California was admitted as a free state, upsetting the balance of power. Ten-year-old Manda and her parents harbor runaway slaves from North Carolina in their New York home, as lawmen and bounty hunters seek to enforce this new law with a vengeance. The danger involved in escaping and assisting with an escape becomes clear to the reader, as does the need to flee from the US into Canada. When Manda learns that nine-year-old Hannah was whipped by her former owner for merely opening a book she was dusting, Manda sets out to teach her the alphabet and empower her with knowledge that can never be taken away. Manda nearly exposes both families to danger, however, when she takes Hannah outside to get a taste of physical freedom. Plans are then expedited to ensure the safety of both parties. Manda is selected to lead the slave family through a hidden escape tunnel to meet up with another member of the Underground Railroad and a packet boat that will transport them to the border of New York and ultimate freedom in Canada. In a simple story fraught with tension, Schotter has found a way to bring this history lesson to life for children no older than brave Manda and indomitable Hannah. (Fiction. 7-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7894-2641-2
Page Count: 98
Publisher: DK Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2000
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