July 1, 2018
PreS-Gr 1-These colorful, straightforward biographies introduce the stories of Georgia O'Keeffe, Jane Austen, and Harriet Tubman to young audiences. The important roles these women played in history are simplified into lively, age-appropriate picture books. The content is limited to a narrative approach with simple vocabulary; each biography features key events from each woman's childhood, pivotal experiences, and accomplishments. The dates and time lines included are very sparse with some difficult details included but not elaborated, such as slavery and beatings in Harriet Tubman's book. The stylized illustrations will be appealing to young readers, and the stories of these important women may serve as inspiration for further reading. Some opportunities are missed; for example, the illustrations in Georgia O'Keeffe's biography do not include examples of the artist's work. Additionally, context is lacking in some cases; an illustration of the new 20 dollar bill in Harriet Tubman may be confusing to readers as it is not mentioned in the text of the biography. While these volumes may spark interest in their subjects, they will be better used as overviews rather than research materials. VERDICT This series serves as good precursors to more sophisticated biographies.-Jamie Jensen, Wayne Cox Elementary School, Roanoke, TX
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2019
Each appealing picture-book biography spotlights a famous woman and her accomplishments, foregrounding the influence of childhood experiences. Vegara emphasizes empowerment and tackles difficult issues (such as slavery in Tubman) with honesty and sensitivity, but overall the texts are pretty simplistic. The illustrations (each book by a different artist) vary greatly in style. Back matter includes photos and/or paintings along with more detailed biographical information. Reading list.
(Copyright 2019 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)