Horn Book Review
I1="BLANK" I2="BLANKFleischman's innovative short novel is the story of an urban garden started by a child and nurtured by people of all ages and ethnic backgrounds. Each of the thirteen chapters is narrated by a different character, allowing the reader to watch as a community develops out of disconnected lives and previous suspicions. Although the total effect of the brief chapters is slightly superficial, some of the individual narratives are moving. The opening chapter about nine-year-old Kim, a Vietnamese immigrant, is a vivid portrait of a child who longs for the approval of her deceased father. The novel is didactic in purpose-folks of all ages, economic backgrounds, and ethnicities put aside their differences to create a beautiful, rich harvest-but effective in execution. From HORN BOOK, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Kirkus Review
There is no shortage of biographies of the groundbreaking American aviatrix, and Nancy Shore's detailed volume for the American Women of Achievement series contains many of the photos reproduced here and then some, but the large format of the duotone pictures and the concise text make Szabo's work ideal for readers who don't need an exhaustive treatment. Other attractive features are numerous quotes from Earhart's writings, maps of the route she followed on her last flight, a foreword by Linda Finch, a present-day female pilot of distinction, and a handsome layout. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Gr. 4-8. Instead of the usual obsession with Earhart's disappearance, this gloriously upbeat biography celebrates her drive and skill and daring as a record-breaking pilot at a time when women were expected to stay home. The spaciously designed large-size book, with big type, 60 duotone photos, and long, informative captions, is great for group sharing and personal browsing. Best of all are the italicized quotes throughout from Earhart's own writings, which express her determination and her spirit of adventure. Szabo's adulatory style occasionally becomes a bit too much in the inspirational, self-esteem, role-model mode, but it is buttressed by the facts of Earhart's aviation work: the dogged, careful preparations and the confrontation with failure, as well as the glamour and excitement. She broke records when she flew solo both across the Atlantic and across the Pacific. Finally, she wanted to become the first woman to fly solo around the world and to take the longest route, never tried before. The final section includes big, clear maps that show her final journey across the continents, with photos and commentary that she sent back home at each stop along the way. A long afterword discusses the theories about why she vanished. The bibliography includes her own writings. (Reviewed February 15, 1997)0792237374Hazel Rochman