CLOAKED IN COURAGE: A NONFICTION PICTURE BOOK REVIEW and 2 MINI-INTERVIEWS

Without a bit of shame, I admit it. I'm a Beth Anderson groupie. Ever since I read Tad Lincoln's Restless Wriggle and Franz's Phantasmagorical Machine and discovered Beth's relentless research to discover the heart of each biography--I want to read and study each book she writes.

REVIEW

Deborah Sampson's Spirit was always a little too large. 

Maybe it was the stories of her Pilgrim ancestors seeking freedom. Maybe it was the Revolutionary times in Massachusetts when colonists protested British rule.

Maybe it was just Deborah.

In under 40 words, Beth delivers insight into Deborah Sampson's character, peeks into her background, and establishes the setting. That is masterful.

After the first page turn, the reader is immediately sucked into action and conflict. At five years old Deborah is "put-out." Without enough money to raise her large family, her mother did the best thing she could do--she "scattered her children them to different homes to earn their keep."

In each chore, hardship, and book, Deborah discovered pieces of herself.

Deborah became a servant of Master Thomas and his household of boys. She listened to dinner conversations and discovered that America was in the middle of great change.

She chose independence over marriage and got a job as a weaver. She listened to stories about battles with the British and women who were arrested for posing as soldiers.

She took the risk and signed up.

Before she could join her first muster, she was found out, and in trouble. She signed up a second time under a different alias and drilled "harder and longer hiding behind excellence."

She took a musket in her leg and bore the pain--only to come down with a fever and rash that swept through the troops. The doctor examining her was shocked when he discovered she was a woman. He "whisked her away to heal in private."

Despite fears of being jailed and shamed, her commanding officer, General Paterson gave her an honorable discharge.

She headed east--her boundless spirit ready to discover more pieces of the person she would become. All she needed was a chance.

BACK MATTER

Six pages of back matter provide wonderful insights into both Deborah as well as Beth's research process. Beth explains how she dove into primary and secondary sources--sometimes having to question what appeared to be legitimate primary sources. "My goal was to tell Deborah's story as close to verifiable truth as possible." I'd say Beth did a terrific job--one that Deborah would be proud to read. 

MINI-INTERVIEW with Beth Anderson

CAROL: From reading your blog, I know that finding the heart of your character's story is very important to you. How did you find Deborah's?

BETH: Deborah Sampson’s story started with a focus on her as a mystery. It was structured sort of between research and narrative. While it seemed an interesting way to tell the story, it didn’t pull a reader in. One of the ideas that shone through early on was family. She was removed from hers, and it wasn’t until she served as a soldier and as General Paterson’s “waiter” that she felt like she was part of a “family.” So this brought her “want” for the story—belonging. A hook, too. The pieces were there, but the story felt dead in the water and sat in the drawer for 6 months. 

When I returned to the manuscript, the driving question for me as I wrote was “What makes us who we are?” While this is something I wonder with every main character, Deborah’s history seemed to offer clear building blocks of her life. That driving question was still too general to be the heart, so I kept digging in as I wrote. I went wider and deeper with research on the setting. 

The heart popped out when I explored her being “put out” or “bound out” when her mother couldn't support all her children after her father deserted the family. That fact was a challenge as an inciting incident. It needed to launch the story, not be maudlin. It was the time of “The World Turned Upside Down,” so I tried to flip it. Could I find a positive in this situation? I looked through a mother’s eyes. It had to be an awful realization. But by putting Deborah out, her mother gave her daughter a chance in life. A chance! 

When I used that lens for other scenes, I saw that was the only chance she was GIVEN. (Don’t we all say - “give me a chance”?) With that, “a chance” was drilled down into something more specific. Throughout her life, Deborah RECOGNIZED and GRABBED chances where no one else might have seen them. THAT was the heart. Chances aren’t always given, you have to recognize them. Instead of bemoaning her sad life, she took charge of it, found strength in challenges, and blazed a trail. That heart grew from my initial driving question but it drilled down to something very specific. And with that heart, the ending fell into place.

For other great interviews with Beth, click on these links.

http://deborahkalbbooks.blogspot.com/2022/12/q-with-beth-anderson.html

https://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2022/11/03/book-giveaway-cloaked-in-courage-uncovering-deborah-sampson-patriot-soldier-by-beth-anderson/

Click here for a comprehensive discussion guide.

MINI-INTERVIEW with Illustrator, Anne Lambelet

CAROL: Can you speak about the research you did to create the illustrations?  I am also curious about your palette and style choice.

ANNE: When I started working on the art for CLOAKED IN COURAGE, although I obviously wanted my own personal style to come through, I also wanted the illustrations to feel authentic to the period and the subject matter. I looked at a lot of 18th-century paintings depicting scenes from the revolutionary war, and I ended up borrowing a lot of my color palette and many of my stylistic choices from those. For example, in The Battle of Bunker Hill by Winthrop Chandler or The Battle of Germantown by Xavier della Gatta (at the Museum of the American Revolution here in Philly!), you can see how the soldiers, buildings, etc. are drawn as if viewed at eye level while the rest of the scene is tilted upward as if viewed from above. You can also see in these paintings the pea soup greens and grey blues that I used in the grass, trees, and sky. 

As for specifics regarding the “costumes” and the “props” in every scene, I had a lot of help from Beth and the historical expert that was brought onto the project. There were so many little details that I never would have even thought to double-check. For example, in the spread where Deborah is serving the general’s dinner, I originally had a plate of fish on the table. The expert caught that and informed me that beef and potatoes would be more accurate fare. I never would have been able to catch mistakes like that on my own so I’m really grateful for how collaborative the vetting process became. I can be totally confident in the end that we’re giving readers an accurate look at Deborah’s life down to every last button and bayonet. 

                                ****

No giveaway this week--I'm keeping Cloaked as a mentor text for the biographies I'm writing. If you are a writer, I encourage you to follow Beth's blog in which other Kidlit authors share how they found the heart of their stories.

THE PEACH PIT PARADE: A World War I Story. An Historical Fiction Picture Book Review and Giveaway

North Carolina picture book author, Shana Keller, is no newcomer to my blog. Some of you may remember Bread for Words, Tick Tock Banneker's Clock, or Fly, Firefly--her three other engaging books published by Sleeping Bear Press.  Her fourth book, Peach Pit Parade is illustrated by Margeaux Lucas. The soft tones Ms. Lucas used speak of Polly's love for her soldier father. The characters' faces portray their emotions beautifully. 

REVIEW

"Polly felt everything change when the whole world got into a fight. A big fight."

The first page of the book shows the front page headline, "U.S. AT WAR!" The reader is brought into Polly's world in this second illustration:

Even though Polly missed her father terribly, she and her mother stayed busy planting a victory garden and thinking of ways to help with the war effort.

Polly's teacher encouraged her students to get involved.

Polly wondered what could she do?

Miss Jennings had a strange request. "The government needs our help to collect all types of fruit pits, especially peach pits."

Her teacher explained that the pits were needed in the gas masks which the soldiers wore. The pits helped absolve harmful gasses. 

A newspaper ad to encourage Americans to save fruit pits.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/570286058/1917-original-wwi-american-red-cross

Polly's next problem was to figure out how to collect enough peach pits to make a difference. She had participated in "send-off" parades when people gave soldiers extra blankets and books when they were leaving. What about a peach pit parade?

Polly shared her idea with her class and her Girl Scout troop. Neighbors, family, friends, and even the local newspaper got excited about the parade.

With Polly in the lead and flutes and cymbals playing, the parade wound through town. 

"In the end of the day, every wagon, bucket, basket, and barrel was filled with pits."

Polly's smile shone brighter than the sun. In that moment, she felt as if the cloud of war had cleared away. Polly finally felt like she was doing all she could, and she couldn't wait to write to her father about the Peach Pit Parade.

CURRICULUM RESOURCE

Like Shana's previous books, The Peach Pit Parade is a great addition to the K-3rd grade classroom. You will find additional resources for each one of her books on her website; here is her page for The Peach Pit Parade. This inspiriting STEM book can prompt conversations about war, compassion, service, and how individuals can make a difference. 

Photo Courtesy The Girl Scout Museum at Cedar Hill

https://kdhnews.com/news/local/peaches-other-fruits-weapons-of-war-during-1917-conflict/article_d06830ec-470c-11e6-bbe0-a75370d619e6.html

https://texascooppower.com/patriotic-peach-pits/

BOOK JOURNEY

For an inside view of Shana's book journey and how she became interested in the role of peach pits and the Girl Scouts in WWI, see Kathy Temean's blog.

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment with your name and email address (if you are new to my blog) by July 18. If you prefer, you can email me. Let me know if you are an educator or librarian and I'll put your name in twice. U.S. addresses only. NOTE: If you don't see your comment immediately, don't worry. I screen all comments and then publish them. 

Congratulations to Michelle Tracey who won Footprints Across the Planet last week.

JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA- PART I: An Informational Picture Book Review and a Giveaway!

 When Jackie Kennedy became the First Lady in 1961, everyone loved her, and everyone wanted to be like her. In turn, Jackie wanted everyone to love art and culture as much as she did. JACKIE AND THE MONA LISA (Sleeping Bear Press, 2022) is a new picture book biography that shows how with "sway, style and persistence" Jackie was able to accomplish her goal. Written by author and teacher Deborah Robin Murphy and illustrated by Jen Bricking, this delightful book will be enjoyed by children from grades 1-4-- as well as their grandmothers who remember Jackie!

REVIEW

As many other picture book biographies do, Jackie and the Mona Lisa begins when Jackie is young. She visited the White House for the first time when she was eleven.

When Jackie arrived as First Lady many years later, she's disappointed that not much has changed. Same boring rooms and still no guidebook! "The White House was supposed to be a symbol of American history, but the rooms weren't historical at all."

So, Jackie went on a hunt.

One year later, Jackie went on television and showed the American public how she had filled the White House with American treasures.

But that wasn't enough. Jackie wanted to introduce Americans to living treasures--ballerinas, actors and actresses, and musicians. She showed "the whole world that American had inspiring art and culture."

But Jackie still wasn't satisfied. She wanted people to see art in person...she wanted them to "be inspired in the same way she was" by great artistic masterpieces.

She decided to bring the Mona Lisa to America!

Jackie traveled to France and talked with the man in charge of the country's treasure. Much to the chagrin of the French, he said yes! 

With every precaution possible, the famous painting was boxed up and transported by ship to the States. It was even escorted by a secret service agent when it rode in a special truck to Washington, D.C.!

Jackie gave a party for 2000 guests to come and see
the Mona Lisa! 
https://www.whitehousehistory.org/1600-sessions/mona-lisa-in-camelot

Jackie was thrilled to share it with the American public and visitors flocked to the National Gallery of Art to see the famous painting.

https://galeriemagazine.com/how-jacqueline-kennedy-brought-the-mona-lisa-to-america-and-captivated-a-nation/

The painting was met with crowds and Mona Lisa mania wherever it was exhibited. 

In the end, Jackie Kennedy accomplished her dream. She not only brought a famous painting to the United States, but she continued to make art important to all Americans. 

From the creation of the Kennedy Performing Art Center to helping preserve historical buildings like Grand Central Station to becoming a book editor...she continued to invite others to see the world as she did--a museum of wonder and beauty...if you just knew how to look! 

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win this book, leave a comment with your email address, or send me an email if you prefer. If you follow my blog you get another chance. Come back on Friday for an interview with both Deborah Robin Murphy and Jen Bricking--and another chance to win this witness to Jackie Kennedy's flair and influence! Giveaway ends Monday, March 21. U.S. addresses only. 

THE KITE THAT BRIDGED TWO NATIONS: A Picture Book Review

 I can't seem to get enough of beautiful nonfiction picture books. I'm particularly drawn to "unknown heroes" who authors discover and bring to life. As my husband's 91-year-old uncle has said to me many times, he wishes he had books like those when he was a child. 

REVIEW

The Kite That Bridged Two Nations (Calkins Creek, 2013) is the second picture book by Alexis O' Neill that I have reviewed. (See Jacob Riis's Camera for the first). Both books capture the protagonist's emotions and a great many details that makes each book memorable.  Jacob Riis's biography spans most of his life and is written in third person POV narrative with a few free verse poems. Kite is a slice of life story based on the true story of Homan Walsh, the 16-year-old teenager who flew a kite across Niagra Falls and is written in free verse first person POV.

Here is the first illustration and the accompanying text. (Note the poetic use of alliteration and personification.)

Whenever wind lifted off the river 

and sent the trees to dancing, 

I'd itch to fly a kite. 

 

I'd race to the great Niagra, 

plumes of mist rising from plunging waters, 

wind licking at my face. 

A boy like me know, just knew, 

which day would be perfect for flying kites. 

 

Homan's family immigrated from Ireland. His merchant father wanted him to focus on his studies. Instead, Homan studied the wind, the lift of his kites, and how much line he needed.

Homan heard of a kite-flying contest. Ten dollars would be awarded to the person whose kite spanned the falls. That person's string would be the beginning of a bridge between the America and Canada.  Homan got to work. 

Historians think that Homan built a "barn door kite"
that was shaped something like this.

He measured, cut, and used over a thousand feet of string to reach across the gorge. When Homan was done, he named his kite, Union.

Homan trudged through the snow with a "confetti of kites" flying in the wind, climbed down "endless stairs" and took the ferry across the "roiling river" to Canada. Marvelous illustrations depict this momentous day and how "the inky night spilled on the sky... and the crowds urged him on." But then...disaster struck. 

As midnight dropped, so did the wind, 

My heart quickened-- 

a landing near at hand. 

Now with a jolt, the string pulled tight. 

It caught and held. 

America at last!   

Then suddenly, a sag, a jerk. 

The heavy line went slack! 

It snapped on ice below. 

 

No kite. 

No cord. 

No union. 

Although Homan wanted to find Union, "ice choked the river's throat" and blocked his journey home. After eight days the ferry ran again and he was able to return home, where his father placed his broken kite in his hands. 

Homan set to work, remaking his kite.

At last, when "a favored wind was blowing" Homan retraced his steps to Canada. This time, he stood on the Canadian cliff that was closest to America and "in that calm, the string spooled out!"

As if she knew 

her purpose greater than to fly, 

Union danced above the rapids. 

 She danced to heaven's gate, 

and then she landed swiftly, safely, strongly 

on the American side.  

 

My Union held secure! 

The prize was mine. 

But better still 

was my father in the cheering crowd.

 

A boy like me had joined two countries!

Thick strong lines were attached to Hamon's kite's string. After that, Charles Ellet, Jr. strung a cable from which he built the first bridge to span the Niagra River. 

And though this happened in my youth, 

this much is true: 

whenever wind lifts off the river 

and sends the trees to dancing, 

I still itch to fly a kite.

 

Terry Widener's phenomenal acrylic paintings augment the text. Back matter includes an author's note explaining her choice of first person POV; the facts about Niagra Falls, the kite-flying event, the weather, and the ferry. I found it interesting that Alexis also mentions the facts she didn't know and what she supplied from her imagination. The rest of the story and a timeline of the Niagra Suspension Bridge, provide additional information for curious children (and adults!) 

NOTES

I asked Alexis a few questions about her writing process. I was curious how she found the topic and her decision not to write it as a straight biography. She said, "I heard about Homan Walsh through an editor who asked if I wanted to write a book about him and the kite-flying event. I researched it deeply, tried writing it as straight nonfiction, but it had no life and didn't get to the emotion of the contest and kite flying. So I switched to first person POV and suddenly the book came to life." 

No giveaway this week since this book now resides on my "mentor text" shelf. But, here's a free download of the musical based on the book. There are several activities on Alexis O'Neill's website making it a great curriculum resource for grades three and up. And here's the book trailer:

Congratulations to Rosi Hollenbeck who will receive a copy of I WANT MY BOOK BACK when it comes out. 

Summer of the Tree Army: A Picture Book Review and Giveaway

 I'm happy to share another new release by Sleeping Bear Press, Summer of the Tree Army: A Civilian Conservation Corps Story written by Gloria Whelan (who is still publishing books at 97!) and illustrated by Kirbi Fagan. 

REVIEW

This is a fictional account of a young boy, Charlie Brightelot, who encounters the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) building cabins in the woods near his Michigan home.

When he asks his parents about the cabins, his mother says they are young men who need jobs because of the depression. His father clearly states his disdain for the CCC. "From what I hear, all they do is eat three meals a day, sleep, and sit around."

Over the summer, Charlie found the young men planting trees in a place where "dead tress rose like skeletons" from a forest fire.

Charlie meets a young man wearing the CCC uniform who is lost in the woods and seems scared.

Charlie invites Luke to fish with him  and a friendship blossoms. He brings Luke home for a home-cooked meal and although Mr. Brightelot isn't very welcoming, Charlie's mother knows a hungry boy when she meets one.

The next day, a forest fire breaks out nearby. Charlie's father decides to go help the "city boys" and although Charlie is warned not to follow, he's a boy. So, of course he hops a ride without his father's knowledge.

When they get there, the CCC men are in the middle of fighting the fire by digging trenches. By mid-afternoon the fire dies away. 

Despite himself, Charlie's father has to admit, "Those CCC boys earned their keep. The folks around here owe them a huge thanks."

The story ends with Mr. Brightelot affirming Luke's work and a sweet statement about the boys' great summer. 

This book takes place in a time when boys could spend hours in the woods; Kirbi Fagan's Norman Rockwell-like illustrations reflect that time period. Both the author and illustrator call Michigan home and the book, a part of the Tales of Young American series, reflect their love for the state. This book will be a fine elementary school resource for home and classroom libraries.

GIVEAWAY

If you're interested in winning my copy of this book, please leave me a comment by 6 PM on May 7. Leave your email address if you are new to my blog. For additional chances, share this post on social media or start following my blog--just let me know which you do in the comments.

Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop: A Review and Giveaway

Congratulations to Linda Phillips who won a copy of Back On Earth from last week's blog.

Alice Faye Duncan reached out to me through Twitter and asked if I was willing to review her two new picture books. Since I'm always interested in highlighting new books for you, of course I said yes! Here's the first one, MEMPHIS, MARTIN, AND THE MOUNTAINTOP: The Sanitation Strike of 1968, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie. (Boyds Mills Press, 2018)

This historical fiction picture book aimed at upper elementary or middle school readers, is based on the life of Memphis teacher, Dr. Almella Starks Umola. Her father was a pastor, community organizer, and strategist for the sanitation strike. Dr. Umola walked with her parents during the protests and heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. deliver his "I've Been to the Mountaintop" speech. 

Here's a great interview with Ms. Duncan that includes the many revisions that went into this story told from the fictional character, nine-year-old, Lorraine Jackson's POV. 

REVIEW

I remember Memphis. 

I remember the stinking sanitation strike. 

Alley cats, rats, and dogs rummaged through the trash.  

Black men marched through Memphis with protest signs raised high.  

I also marched in '68 with red ribbons in my hair.

That is the stark opening to Memphis, Martin, and the Mountaintop. Lorraine relates that the garbage trucks were old, rusty, and not well maintained. On a rainy, bleak day in Memphis, two black sanitation workers--working for $1.70 an hour--were crushed when a packer blade malfunctioned. 

"Slop dripped down their clothes."

Sanitation workers formed a labor union asking for better pay and safety on the job. Mayor Loeb refused their requests and one month later, the sanitation workers struck. 

In the morning and afternoon for sixty-five days, sanitation workers marched fourteen blocks through the streets of downtown Memphis...My daddy marched in that number. He marched for better pay. He marched for decent treatment. My daddy marched for me.

It was a difficult winter for young Lorraine, her parents, and the other strikers' families. But everyone was encouraged when they heard Martin Luther King, Jr. was coming to Memphis. 

"Dr. King said, 'All labor has dignity,'
Dr. King's voice was loud and stirring."

Dr. King organized a protest march and Lorraine, her mother, and other mothers and children went to the back of the line, while the sanitation workers marched in the front. Unfortunately, fifteen minutes into the march it was interrupted by rioters. The police responded quickly with tear gas and by beating innocent people. Her mother said, "Sometimes bad people mess things up for good people doing good."

That night, Mayor Loeb declared a state of emergency. "From my bedroom window, I saw soldiers in big green tanks creep slowly up the street. I waved to my friend Jan who sat in her window too."

"Nobody played outside that day. Fear locked us in our houses."

In April, Dr. King returned to Memphis but became sick and was unable to speak in person. His speech was broadcast to those who had gathered together at Mason Temple Church. "In the face of death threats, Dr. King spoke boldly. He encouraged Memphis strikers and strike supporters to march, boycott, and raise their voices for workers rights until victory was won."

That night, he was gunned down when a "bullet pierced the dreamer's neck." Afterwards, Lorraine Jackson wrote this poem and her mother hung it up on the crumbling walls of their rental home:

The King Is Dead

Not long ago,  

There lived a King. 

He did not live in a castle. 

He did not wear a crown. 

He did not rule a royal court 

Or ride in chariots.

The King marched in the streets. 

He lived to help the poor. 

He lived for peace and love. 

Hate killed the King.

The King is dead. 

What will the people do? 

The sanitation strike ended eight days later when President Lyndon B. Johnson sent in a labor official to negotiate a settlement. In the deal, the city recognized the labor union, the sanitation workers received 15 cents an hour more, and they were promised job promotions based on merit--not race.

"So much was won.
So much was lost.
Freedom is never free."

That hopeful yet sobering thought helps conclude this informative picture book. Ms. Duncan, as a librarian for the last 25 years in the Memphis public schools, included a timeline and annotated source list at the back of the book. I recommend this book as a curriculum resource for grades 4-7. There is a lot to learn within these pages and R. Gregory Christie's illustrations amplify the text.

Having recently listened to Eyes on the Prize, Memphis, Martin and the Mountaintop helped me visualize this particular event on the civil rights timeline.

GIVEAWAY

Ms. Duncan is giving away a personally autographed copy of this book to one fortunate winner. As she said in an email to me, "Readers deserve kindness and an extra 'oopmh'." Please leave me a comment by November 8 and your email address if you are new to my blog. If you share this post on social media and let me know what you did, I'll enter your name twice. 

Liesl's Ocean Rescue and a Giveaway!

Congratulations to fellow blogger, Rosi Hollenbeck, who won an autographed copy of Maggie Dana's book, "Riding for the Stars."

******

Liesl's Ocean Rescue, an historical picture book struck a personal chord for me. It begins with the awful events that surrounded Krystallnacht; an event which deeply affected my paternal grandparents. Like Liesl the main character in Barbara Krasner's story, my mother also escaped Nazi Germany at a young age and took an ocean voyage to America. But unlike Liesl, my mother's ship docked in New York City and her family quickly traveled to Ohio to establish a new home.

Based on the true story of Liesl Joseph Loeb's voyage on the MS St. Louis, Liesl's journey was different. When the ship attempted to enter Havana on the way to America, the Cuban government refused permission to dock. After almost a week of negotiations, the ship--filled with over 900 individuals trying to escape concentration camps--was forced to return to Europe. Although Liesl's family came to America two years later, over two hundred of their fellow passengers did not survive the war. 

Although every page is full of black and white illustrations by artist Avi Katz, this poignant picture book will best be appreciated by children from 8-10 years old. It will enhance classroom instruction about the Holocaust, bring alive the difficulties that immigrants often face, and offer a great starting point for discussions about war and freedom. A teacher's guide can be found here.

I would like to pass along my gently-used Advanced Readers Copy of this book. To enter, leave me a comment by Friday, November 28. If you are a teacher or plan to donate the book to a classroom library, let me know and I'll enter your name twice.