Ma Speaks Up and a first-generation Daughter Talks Back by Marianne Leone. Beacon Press, 2017. 158 Pages

Victoria: Portrait of a Queen by Catherine Reef. Clarion Books, 2017, 256 pages.

The Lincolns: A Scrapbook Look at Abraham and Mary by Candace Fleming. Scwartz & Wade Books, 2008. 181 pages.

Nonfiction the way it should read! Fleming created this beautiful look at Abraham and Mary Lincoln as a 19thcentury scrap book complete w/ period photos, newpaper articles, letters, and other related bits of art, objects and ephemera -- and yet continues to tell the biographies of the 2 people and the times in a well written, easy to read and magnificent to look at oversized book. Something for everyone, complete w/ index and timelines and source list of books, websites and photos to satisfy the most enthusiastic young historians. Stands with the best Lincoln bios and photobooks. YES!

Babe Ruth (Before They Were Famous) by Vito Delsante. Andres Vera Martinez, illustrator. Aladdin, 2009. 128 pages

Very basic graphic story of Babe Ruth's early life. Tough neighborhood, Babe ran wild in the streets with other boys-- truant, petty crime, etc. Parents sent him away to catholic priest run reform school where he learned to play baseball. No Borstal Boy though. Very basic, not a lot here. Even the illustrations are mediocre. I would not read another.

Me Llamo Celia: the life of Celia Cruz by Monica Brown. Luna Rising-Bilingual Edition. 2004. 32 pages

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon (2004), Paperback, 160 pages

Graphic novel memoir told in the voice of the young teen Satrapi, Persepolis shows us what life was like under the Iranian Islamic revolution for a 10 to 14 yr old and her family. We see the uncertainty, the terror, the bad behavior and lack of charity, the very real fear of the secret police, the political repression, school days, censorship, family life, and war with Iraq. All seen through the eyes of a young Satrapi , the memoir ends with her hasty trip out of Iran to Austria because the family thought it was too unsafe for her in Teheran. She was forced to leave Iran alone. The story is told in dialogue and is thought provoking. Persepolis (an ancient city in Persia) is autobiographical, and while it deals with her growing into a young adult, it all occurs in Iran during the Iranian revolution. We get a rare glimpse of family life under a repressive regime right as events unfold. It is well written, well drawn and powerful.

Women of the Harlem Renaissance (We the People) by Lisa Beringer Mckissack. Compass Point Books (2007), Paperback, 48 pages

Text introduction includes a brief, cursory explanation of Harlem renaissance with strong focus on social history of women. The bulk of the work, however, consists of brief but well written biographies of five (often)lesser known but important women of the period. Includes period photos and ads. Includes a brief glossary, timeline, additonal facts, and websites list. Epilogue is clunky and seems like an afterthought--Bessie Coleman has nothing to do with Harlem. Still, a very good social history and collective biography for elementary aged children for school reports or general information. Very little exists on this topic for elementary aged children

Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return by Marjane Satrapi. Pantheon (2004), Hardcover, 192 pages

Marjane Satrapi's honest and compelling memoir of her young adult (15-22)years--continues the story where Persepolis left off. A 15 year old Setrapi arrives alone in Austria only to find herself a virtual refugee in a country she has never visited and does not speak the language. Lonely and frightened, and later depressed, Satrapi uses various coping mechanisms--lying, drugs, cynicism--that leave her feeling unhappy and further isolated. At 19, she flees Austria to return to Teheran, only to find herself a refugee (of sorts) in her own country. And things have changed in Iran; politcal repression and war have taken their toll; Even her parents seen to be cynical and have lost much hope. Where in the West she was defined entirely as an Iranian, in Iran she was defined almost entirely as a Westerner and her angst continues. A coming of age story filled with angst; a young woman trying to find her way under a repressive Islamic fundamentalist regime. Painfully honest and thought provoking, we hurt for Satrapi as she tries to discover what is important and who she wants to be. **must be paired with Persepolis I for full impact. I loved it.

Campy: The Story of Roy Campanella by David A. Adler. Viking Juvenile (2007), Hardcover

Brief but well written biograpy of baseball legend Roy Campanella who broke the color barrier of major league baseball and played with the Brooklyn Dodgers along with Jackie Robinson. He is equally famous for a car accident at the height of his career that left him almost killed him and left him a quadriplegic and almost killed him. Very well written and beautifully illustrated, the back pages of the work include a timeline, quotes of note and a short list of suggested readings. Very well done.

David Ortiz (Amazing Athletes) by Jeff Savage. Lerner Publishing Group (2006), Library Binding, 32 pages

The baseball life-story of Red Sox star David Ortiz. Lots of pictures, large type, lots of white space. Glossary, with words in text highlighted and additional resource/web link section at back. approximately 2nd grade level text. Attractive and informative for younger readers and sports fans.