Smart and snappy…as inspiring as it is delightful.” — Booklist (starred review)
“Concisely outlines Clinton’s journey from activist to First Lad of Arkansas and on to Washington, D.C….Pham’s (the Freckleface Strawberry series) watercolors are steeped in period detail.” — Publishers Weekly
“Both for fun and education…go-girl power and a good read.” — Kirkus Reviews
“[An] honest and open portrayal” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Praise for BRAVE GIRL: “The zingy images masterfully (and appropriately) incorporate fabric and stitches as well as old images of checks and time cards … This book has fighting spirit in spades-you go, Clara!” — Booklist (starred review)
Praise for BRAVE GIRL: “Readers are treated to solid information with a buoyant message about standing up for what is right. Sweet has created an outstanding backdrop for Markel’s text with a vibrant collage of watercolor, gouache, blank dress-pattern paper, bookkeeping pages, stitches, and fabric pieces.” — School Library Journal (starred review)
Praise for BRAVE GIRL: “Sweet incorporates images of assorted fabrics and stitch patterns into her tender illustrations, brightening the lives of workers whose reality was bleak.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for BRAVE GIRL: “In her simple but powerful text Markel shows how multiple arrests, serious physical attacks, and endless misogyny failed to deter this remarkable woman as she set off on her lifelong path as a union activist.” — The Horn Book
Praise for BRAVE GIRL: “Markel ably brings to life the plight of immigrant garment workers and Clara’s courageous advocacy.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
Praise for TYRANNOSAURUS MATH: “This is a clever addition to the growing number of books that make a sometimes daunting subject both more understandable and just plain fun.” — School Library Journal
Praise for ALL THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT YOU: “In capturing the goofy spontaneity of affection and everyday family life without a whiff of treacle, Pham proves once again that she’s among the most natural and gifted illustrators working today.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for VAMPERINA BALLERINA: “Pace’s funny, matter-of-fact advice ... works in harmony with Pham’s expressive watercolor pen-and-ink artwork ... kids who aren’t into frilly will welcome this departure from typical ballerina books.” — Booklist
Praise for VAMPERINA BALLERINA: “Pace and Pham have choreographed a delightful tale ... readers will applaud this elegantly designed, well-told story. Brava, indeed.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for GRACE FOR PRESIDENT: “Pham’s deeply toned opaque and textured paintings of a multicultural group of children bring out the various details of each phase of a campaign. A timely, well-constructed explanation brought down to a level anyone can comprehend.” — Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Praise for BIG SISTER, LITTLE SISTER: “Pham lends a fresh and funny perspective to the pros and cons of being second in the birth order...Pham has beautifully captured the touch-and-go affection that is a verity of sibling life.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
Praise for BIG SISTER, LITTLE SISTER: “The illustrations have a bold, retro quality, and the examples of frustration and adoration are utterly familiar and timeless.” — New York Times Book Review
Praise for A PIECE OF CAKE: “Captured in warm and bright illustrations that anthropomorphize animal friends, this story about doing the right thing and the power of friendship is a strong choice for story hours and classroom read-alouds.” — Booklist
Praise for A PIECE OF CAKE: “A treat of a birthday picture book.” — Kirkus Reviews
Praise for A PIECE OF CAKE: “This will work remarkably well in a storytime setting, and there are plenty of opportunities for curricular tie-ins (particularly prediction and inference) for a school setting.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
12/01/2015
Gr 1–4—Framed in terms of the fight for equal opportunities for women, this picture book biography depicts Hillary Rodham Clinton's story as one of endless heroic struggles on behalf of the oppressed. Clinton is described as an excellent student who took an early leadership role among her peers, was inspired by hearing a speech by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and later fearlessly advocated on behalf of women, people of color, children, and the poor. Her challenges in balancing work and family life, as well as the criticism she's received as a woman, make her willingness to conquer each new hurdle even more impressive. Employing deft and engaging prose, Markel covers much of the same ground Kathleen Krull did with Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight (S. & S., 2008) but provides far more specific details, though Krull's book offers a more impressionistic main text and extensive endnotes. The tone is relentlessly positive, making it difficult to get a well-rounded sense of Clinton as a person, and there is no reference to any of the political controversies surrounding her or Bill Clinton. Pham's evocative illustrations steal the show, varying in mood from whimsical to uplifting to sobering. Particularly effective is the contrast between the opening spread, which features well-known (and sepia-toned) men of the 1950s, and the concluding pages, which depict many vibrantly diverse and notable women of the 20th and 21st centuries. VERDICT A beautifully produced, if excessively laudatory, biography of a significant contemporary political figure; recommended for general collections.—Laura Simeon, Open Window School Library, WA
2015-11-03
The strong roots of a presidential hopeful. Growing up in the 1950s meant coming of age in a "man's world," but not for Hillary Rodham. She was active in school, motivated, and never a fashionista. Outspoken in college and interested in social causes, she became a lawyer and married Bill Clinton. As first lady she espoused a political and social welfare agenda and went on to become one of New York's senators and—two times now—a candidate for president of the United States. Markel, clearly an admirer, presents Clinton's life as part and parcel of the women's movement for empowerment, writing throughout in a very lively voice. Pham's artwork is the real vote-getter. With a colorful palette, she presents Clinton's personal and professional sides. Scenes of campus activism, facing unfriendly crowds, taking to the podium, and meeting with world figures fill the busy pages. Both for fun and education are two double-page tableaux. The first features men of achievement in muted tones of gray and brown while a young Hillary in Scout uniform stands arms akimbo. The second showcases great women with Clinton dressed in a trademark red pantsuit. Those who need help identifying faces in either will find keys in the back of the book. Go-girl power and a good read. (timeline, artist's note, selected bibliography) (Picture books/biography. 7-10)