An inspiring true history of one of the daring Daughters of Liberty.
Lawson’s illustrated book for young readers tells the story of a true unsung figure of the American Revolution.
In this short historical-fiction novel, 7-year-old Annie Perkins and her mother walk to Grandma Sarah’s house in Medford, Massachusetts, for a visit in 1834. There, Sarah tells Annie the story of the Boston Tea Party and how she helped the cause with her husband, John Fulton, who was one of the Sons of Liberty. During the war, when British troops attempted to steal firewood from Sarah’s home, she ran after them, took one of their oxen by the horns, and turned it back around—all the while hoping that the soldiers wouldn’t shoot a woman. After this success, Maj. John Brooks tasked Sarah with sending a message across enemy lines to Gen. George Washington in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and she did so, alone in the dark of night, after rowing a boat across the river. As an author’s note points out, the women who were instrumental in the Revolution, such as Sarah Bradlee Fulton, whose life inspired this book, often had their stories preserved through oral histories. This book’s plot effectively demonstrates the importance of these by having Annie listening intently to her Grandma Sarah’s adventures, asking pertinent questions, and making connections to her personal experience. Finally, Annie learns that her older brother, Nathan, has never heard these stories, and she promises to ensure that future generations of her family will hear of her grandmother’s heroism. Coriell’s detailed, half-page black-and-white sketches decorate some pages, showing Sarah’s exploits, the clothing of the different eras, and both the Patriots and British troops. Sarah also introduces Annie to several complex political concepts in engaging, easy-to-understand language. The narrative itself offers both exciting action and discussion of important issues. The inclusion of figures such as Samuel Adams, Paul Revere, and John Hancock will encourage young readers to further explore American history.
An inspiring true history of one of the daring Daughters of Liberty.Pub Date: Aug. 31, 2023
ISBN: 9798987612316
Page Count: 60
Publisher: Gray Lion Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 16, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.
In Florence’s middle-grade fantasy novel, a young girl’s heart is tested in the face of an evil, spreading Darkness.
Eleven-year-old Lydia, “freckle-cheeked and round-eyed, with hair the color of pine bark and fair skin,” is struggling with the knowledge that she has reached the age to apprentice as an herbalist. Lydia is reluctant to leave her beloved, magical Mulberry Glen and her cozy Housetree in the woods—she’ll miss Garder, the Glen’s respected philosopher; her fairy guardian Pit; her human friend Livy; and even the mischievous part-elf, part-imp, part-human twins Zale and Zamilla. But the twins go missing after hearing of a soul-sapping Darkness that has swallowed a forest and is creeping into minds and engulfing entire towns. They have secretly left to find a rare fruit that, it is said, will stop the Darkness if thrown into the heart of the mountain that rises out of the lethal forest. Lydia follows, determined to find the twins before they, too, fall victim to the Darkness. During her journey, accompanied by new friends, she gradually realizes that she herself has a dangerous role to play in the quest to stop the Darkness. In this well-crafted fantasy, Florence skillfully equates the physical manifestation of Darkness with the feelings of insecurity and powerlessness that Lydia first struggles with when thinking of leaving the Glen. Such negative thoughts grow more intrusive the closer she and her friends come to the Darkness—and to Lydia’s ultimate, powerfully rendered test of character, which leads to a satisfyingly realistic, not quite happily-ever-after ending. Highlights include a delightfully haunting, reality-shifting library and a deft sprinkling of Latin throughout the text; Pit’s pet name for Lydia is mea flosculus (“my little flower”). Fine-lined ink drawings introducing each chapter add a pleasing visual element to this well-grounded fairy tale.
An absorbing fantasy centered on a resilient female protagonist facing growth, change, and self-empowerment.Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9781956393095
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Waxwing Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid.
Black sixth-grader Jake Liston can only play one song on the piano. He can’t read music very well, and he can’t improvise. So how did Jake get accepted to the Music and Art Academy? He faked it.
Alongside an eclectic group of academy classmates, and with advice from his best friend, Jake tries to fit in at a school where things like garbage sculpting and writing art reviews of bird poop splatter are the norm. All is well until Jake discovers that the end-of-the-semester talent show is only two weeks away, and Jake is short one very important thing…talent. Or is he? It’s up to Jake to either find the talent that lies within or embarrass himself in front of the entire school. Light and humorous, with Knight’s illustrations adding to the fun, Jake’s story will likely appeal to many middle-grade readers, especially those who might otherwise be reluctant to pick up a book. While the artsy antics may be over-the-top at times, this is a story about something that most preteens can relate to: the struggle to find your authentic self. And in a world filled with books about wanting to fit in with the athletically gifted supercliques, this novel unabashedly celebrates the artsy crowd in all of its quirky, creative glory.
A fast and funny alternative to the Wimpy Kid. (Fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-553-52351-5
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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