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THE SINKING OF THE BISMARCK

Name: THE SINKING OF THE BISMARCK
Author: William L. Shirer
ISBN: 0394805518

by William L. Shirer ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 1962

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Excitement, suspense surrounding the biggest naval hunt of World War II, combine to make this one of the tops in this series, a book one reads with sustained excitement. Britain on the conveys bringing her supplies, and the line was threatened by a ship of the speed and forepower. The hunt starts when the Bismarck's departure from the well-maintained secret hiding place is reported; it ends six days and some 2,000 miles later when British torpedoes and shells send the pride of the German navy to the bottom of the Atlantic with all but 118 of its 2400 men crew. Here is contemporary history as it should be written for 10-14ers. There's a sense of drama, an economy of words.

Pub Date: April 1, 1962

ISBN: 0394805518

Page Count: -

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: May 23, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1962

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HISTORY | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

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BIG APPLE DIARIES

by Alyssa Bermudez ; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 17, 2021

An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.

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Through the author’s own childhood diary entries, a seventh grader details her inner life before and after 9/11.

Alyssa’s diary entries start in September 2000, in the first week of her seventh grade year. She’s 11 and dealing with typical preteen concerns—popularity and anxiety about grades—along with other things more particular to her own life. She’s shuffling between Queens and Manhattan to share time between her divorced parents and struggling with thick facial hair and classmates who make her feel like she’s “not a whole person” due to her mixed White and Puerto Rican heritage. Alyssa is endlessly earnest and awkward as she works up the courage to talk to her crush, Alejandro; gushes about her dreams of becoming a shoe designer; and tries to solve her burgeoning unibrow problem. The diaries also have a darker side, as a sense of impending doom builds as the entries approach 9/11, especially because Alyssa’s father works in finance in the World Trade Center. As a number of the diary entries are taken directly from the author’s originals, they effortlessly capture the loud, confusing feelings middle school brings out. The artwork, in its muted but effective periwinkle tones, lends a satisfying layer to the diary’s accessible and delightful format.

An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 8-13)

Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-250-77427-9

Page Count: 288

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HISTORY

- BOOK REVIEW
IVELIZ EXPLAINS IT ALL
by Andrea Beatriz Arango ; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez

- BOOK REVIEW
WE LAUGH ALIKE / JUNTOS NOS REÍMOS
by Carmen T. Bernier-Grand ; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez

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MY SINGING NANA
by Pat Mora ; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez

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SHH! WE'RE WRITING THE CONSTITUTION

by Jean Fritz & illustrated by Tomie dePaola ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 23, 1987

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No one writes history for children better than the latest Wilder Award winner; funny, pungent and impeccably accurate, her contribution to the plethora of books written for the Constitution's bicentennial should be at the top of everyone's purchase list. Assembling attention-grabbing tidbits that illuminate personalities (Franklin observed that if the President's term wasn't limited there'd be no way to get rid of him short of shooting him) re-create conditions in the 18th century (delegates sweltered as windows were kept shut during a heat wave to keep out noise and flies), and give an excellent feel for the kind of horse-trading that was required before an acceptable document was produced (it took 60 ballots just to settle on the Electoral College). Fritz surveys the background that made some kind of unity necessary (during the Revolution, when Washington asked some New Jersey soldiers to swear allegiance to the US, they turned him down flat), as well as events from the gathering of delegates (they trickled in from May to August) to the adoption of the Constitution by the states. She summarizes important features of the Constitution, especially the checks and balances it embodies, and the argumentative response that delayed ratification. A few amplifying notes and the text of the Constitution (as sent to Congress on September 18, 1787) are appended. Lively and fascinating, this will be a delightful surprise to any child who stumbles on it as part of an assignment; it is sure to open minds to the interest and relevance of history.