With his usual intelligence and grace, Giblin (well-known for his award-winning nonfiction) covers the extensive history of a popular subject, once again illuminating some fascinating byways of social history with skillfully assembled facts. Recounting tales of unicorns from Chinese legend, Indian myth, and ancients in the Western world from Deuteronomy to Julius Caesar, Giblin sets them in the context of a world where many creatures were rumored but not actually seen (e.g., the rhinoceros). The book's heart is a detailed discussion of the unicorn tapestries at the Cloisters in N.Y.C. (reproduced in a color insert)—their history, their intricate symbols, the medieval Christian beliefs they exemplify, and their hold on the 20th-century imagination. Final chapters discuss uses of unicorns' (narwhal's) horns; how scientific inquiry discredited belief in the mythical beast and its powers; its role in current popular culture; and even some comments on the endangered species that generated the myth in the first place. As always, Giblin has a firm grasp on his subject's many ramifications and links them with clarity and extraordinary insight, providing a splendid model of the branches of knowledge enriching each other. Though unicorns seem ubiquitous, this is the first book for young people to explore their lore in depth. In addition to McDermott's soft-pencil reconstructions of ancient descriptions (e.g., ``Pliny's unicorn''), many b&w photos of historical artifacts are included. Bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 9+)
Pub Date: Oct. 30, 1991
ISBN: 0-06-022478-9
Page Count: 113
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 1991
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Simple, bella, un regalo permenente: simple and beautiful, a gift that will stay.
Renowned Latin American writer Alvarez has created another story about cultural identity, but this time the primary character is 11-year-old Miguel Guzmán.
When Tía Lola arrives to help the family, Miguel and his hermana, Juanita, have just moved from New York City to Vermont with their recently divorced mother. The last thing Miguel wants, as he's trying to fit into a predominantly white community, is a flamboyant aunt who doesn't speak a word of English. Tía Lola, however, knows a language that defies words; she quickly charms and befriends all the neighbors. She can also cook exotic food, dance (anywhere, anytime), plan fun parties, and tell enchanting stories. Eventually, Tía Lola and the children swap English and Spanish ejercicios, but the true lesson is "mutual understanding." Peppered with Spanish words and phrases, Alvarez makes the reader as much a part of the "language" lessons as the characters. This story seamlessly weaves two culturaswhile letting each remain intact, just as Miguel is learning to do with his own life. Like all good stories, this one incorporates a lesson just subtle enough that readers will forget they're being taught, but in the end will understand themselves, and others, a little better, regardless of la lengua nativa—the mother tongue.
Simple, bella, un regalo permenente: simple and beautiful, a gift that will stay. (Fiction. 9-11)Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-375-80215-0
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
After Castro’s takeover, nine-year-old Julian and his older brothers are sent away by their fearful parents via “Operation Pedro Pan” to a camp in Miami for Cuban-exile children. Here he discovers that a ruthless bully has essentially been put in charge. Julian is quicker-witted than his brothers or anyone else ever imagined, though, and with his inherent smarts, developing maturity and the help of child and adult friends, he learns to navigate the dynamics of the camp and surroundings and grows from the former baby of the family to independence and self-confidence. A daring rescue mission at the end of the novel will have readers rooting for Julian even as it opens his family’s eyes to his courage and resourcefulness. This autobiographical novel is a well-meaning, fast-paced and often exciting read, though at times the writing feels choppy. It will introduce readers to a not-so-distant period whose echoes are still felt today and inspire admiration for young people who had to be brave despite frightening and lonely odds. (Historical fiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-59643-168-3
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 14, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
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