(2) 4-6 In the five years since her parents divorced, twelve-year-old Holly has lived in and visited lots of places with her actor father; she is used to not feeling rooted in any one spot. Now her father has flown off to San Francisco for his "big break" in A Midsummer Night's Dream while Holly goes to Burlington, Vermont, "a city she'd never heard of in a state she'd never been to," to stay with her uncle Vincent for a month. Holly hasn't seen him since three Christmases ago, but she remembers a lot about him: he's gay; is a year younger than her father; lives alone in a small town outside Burlington; and runs a bookstore, where he is "drowning in books." The beautiful cover illustration and even Holly's name refer to her love of plants, and the metaphor will not be lost on readers: Holly yearns for roots in her life, and Uncle Vincent and his community just might be the ones to help. And, sure enough, she does find much of what she's looking for. Holly is a well-drawn, likable protagonist dropped into a New England setting, where she thrives. A gentle, uplifting, and memorable story.

Reviewer: Dean Schneider | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2024

(2) 4-6 Translated by B.J. Woodstein. Eleven-year-old Marcus lives in Stockholm, but his mom's job as a voice actor means he's spending the summer in Malmo, a city in southern Sweden. At first Marcus is nervous around his tough new neighbor, Mikkel (or is he saying "Me kill"? It's hard for Marcus to understand his dialect) -- a kid covered in tattoos. But after Marcus proves himself in a skateboarding contest (and a gnarly skateboarding accident), Mikkel declares them "blood brothers." They spend the summer together, getting "tattooed" (with pen) by Mikkel's teenage brother, sneaking out to an amusement park in Copenhagen, and eating lunch with Marcus's babysitter, whose very presence he resents. The only thing missing is his dad, who stayed behind in Stockholm. When Marcus came out as a trans boy, his dad didn't take it well -- and now he worries that telling Mikkel might mean losing him, too. Jagerfeld is a master of quirky character details, from Marcus's dad's bicycling "diaper" (really cushioned bike shorts) to his mom's nude mime routine. Narrator Marcus's observations are laugh-out-loud funny and sometimes wise, as he reflects on his experiences as a trans person with confidence that no one knows his identity better than him. The trans storyline covers familiar ground, but Marcus's thoughts about his identity and the pain he feels in the face of rejection are movingly and satisfyingly portrayed.

Reviewer: Bodie Shanis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Bryan Collier. School is a challenge for young James Earl Jones (b. 1931) due to his stutter. Hoping his teacher will not call upon him, the future celebrated African American actor remembers the last time he tried to read aloud: "Face burning. / Heart racing. / Kids laughing. / Mouth trying. / Voice blocking." As Jones grows older and his stuttering continues, he reasons that if he did not talk, he would not stutter. Instead, he listens. He listens to the news, his aunt's and uncle's music, and his mama's stories; at school, he listens, and he learns. In high school, an influential teacher introduces him to poetry. Captivated by its rhythms, James finds his voice, reciting and eventually writing his own verses, including "Ode to Grapefruit." His teacher encourages him to read it aloud, and, confronting his fears, he performs his poem in a "voice deep and smooth." Subsequently, Jones's distinctive voice leads to a successful career on stage and screen. Lavelle, a speech pathologist, sensitively captures the anxiety that may accompany the disorder and insightfully conveys the power of poetry. Collier's expressive art, rendered in collage and watercolor, compellingly portrays the subject's struggles and triumphs. Back matter includes information about stuttering, author and illustrator notes, and selected resources.

Reviewer: Pauletta Brown Bracy | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2024

(1) K-3 Illustrated by Sherry Shine. In this picture-book biography told in poems, Watson (Maya's Song, rev. 11/22) pays homage to legendary actor Cicely Tyson (1924–2021). The book opens with a poem called "1920s" ("Black is Harlem. / Black is the buzz of a trumpet, / the soft brush tickling cymbal, / dark fingers tiptoeing on bass") to set the scene for the world into which Tyson was born. Through chronologically presented poems, we learn about her childhood in the South Bronx and East Harlem and the love she received from her parents (both before and after their separation when she was nine). At the age of twelve, she learned to play the piano and the organ. At sixteen, "Cicely was known / around the neighborhood / as the girl with talent and style." Then one day, Tyson met a man who told her she should be a model -- the beginning of her decades-long acting career. Watson's accessible and immediate poems about Tyson's life also highlight the history that was being made at the time. Shine's digitally rendered illustrations use "fabric, quilting and embellishments," calling to mind the quilting tradition that has been integral to Black women's art. The layers of fabric and stitching add depth and texture to each illustration. A timeline is appended; some back matter unseen.

Reviewer: Nicholl Denice Montgomery | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2025

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Eric Velasquez. Weatherford provides an unflinching look at the life of Robeson (1898–1976), activist, scholar, singer, actor, and athlete. Through a series of resonant first-person, free-verse poems, she covers his life from childhood just one generation removed from enslavement to international stardom as an entertainer and his subsequent blacklisting by the federal government. The book is divided into four acts: Youth, Artist, Activist, and Erased. Weatherford's poems are interspersed with lines from Negro spirituals (which Robeson was known for singing), such as "Steal Away" and "Scandalize My Name," along with his own words. Robeson earned a law degree, but discrimination led him to leave that career behind and focus on the arts, a love of his since childhood. Following his success on the stage, Robeson became more active politically, and Weatherford uses his own words to describe his feelings upon visiting the Soviet Union in 1934: "Here I am not a Negro but a human being." Support for the USSR cost him his livelihood. Weatherford doesn't shy away from the racism he faced (including spelling out a racial slur) or from Robeson's suicide attempt. Velasquez's illustrations, produced in oil on watercolor paper, capture Robeson's stature as well as his despair. The book ends with Robeson contemplating how he will be remembered. A timeline, source notes, a bibliography, and copyright acknowledgments for illustrations inspired by existing photos are appended.

Reviewer: Marva Anne Hinton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2024

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Lauren Semmer. During the struggles of the civil rights movement, one weekly image on ­America's television screens was seen as a huge step in advancing Black representation: a Black woman serving as communications director on the starship Enterprise. Actress Nichelle Nichols (1932–2022) brought the character of Lieutenant Uhura to life on Star Trek, the popular science-fiction series that debuted in 1966. When series creator Gene ­Roddenberry offered Nichols the role, she helped create her character's backstory and came up with the name Uhura (derived from the Swahili word for freedom). Dalton makes clear that despite Nichols's professional successes, racism and bigotry were constants in her life and career, including on the set of Star Trek. Nichols was so discouraged that at one point she planned to quit but was persuaded to stay by none other than Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.: "For the first time, the world sees us as we should be seen, as equals, as intelligent people." Semmer's digital illustrations help reinforce the narrative; one double-page spread displays an assortment of televisions, one of them showing Uhura onboard the ­Enterprise, others depicting scenes of real-life racial unrest. An epilogue-like "Beyond Star Trek" and an author's note round out this ­appreciative tribute.

Reviewer: Eboni Njoku | Horn Book Magazine Issue: March, 2023

(2) K-3 "Julia Elizabeth Wells was born into a melody--her childhood attuned to the timbre of the tiny English village where she heard music in the rhythm of the river, in the whistle of the wind, in the symphony of songbirds." This lyrical picture-book biography focuses on the challenges and successes of Andrews's early life. When her concert-pianist mother remarried and moved to London during WWII, Julie was summoned to join her and had a difficult time adjusting to life in a large city under constant threat of bombs. But her stepfather, also a musician, discovered her gift of a voice, paid for singing lessons, and promoted her career. Julie became successful so quickly that she performed for the queen while still a child. The book concludes with a brief summary of Andrews's accomplishments as an actor and author of children's books; in an appended author's note, Hedlund describes her personal connection to her subject. Soft-hued illustrations ranging from a series of small vignettes to double-page spreads reveal setting, action, emotion, and personality, complementing the alliterative text, which is full of musical references. The case cover offers a surprise: an illustration of young Julie by the river, with Mary Poppins reflected in the water. Back matter includes a timeline (but no source notes).

Reviewer: | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2023

(2) 4-6 Classmates Chloe and Maddie, both twelve, used to be best friends. Now they decidedly aren't, and they're dismayed to find themselves in the same bunk at a drama camp. Scenes of the summer (and a production of Wicked) alternate with flashbacks to the previous school year (and The Music Man), gradually revealing the embarrassing secrets each has about the other and the incident that caused the rift. The dynamic between Chloe, a professional child actor (but, lately, not child star), and Maddie, a self-described "chubby Jewish girl with thick glasses and a tendency to fall over at the worst possible moments" (she has dyspraxia), has settled into patterns that leave both feeling frustrated. They're each figuring things out about themselves, and what seems a simple case of an unbalanced friendship reveals itself to be more complex as the two eventually speak honestly about issues that have long festered between them. The book doesn't reach for tidy resolutions, but there's lighthearted fun to be had along the way, including some creativity with golem stories in a screenwriting elective and (spoiler alert) a sweet queer romantic subplot for one of the girls.

Reviewer: Shoshana Flax | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) YA In 1934, eighteen-year-old aspiring Chicago actress Henny wins a ticket to Los Angeles and the promise of a screen test. Unfortunately, it turns out, there are men in Hollywood looking to take advantage of aspiring starlets. Henny encounters the ghosts of young women who were murdered in the business, whom only she can see, and she must team up with Declan--a stunt performer who seems immune to injury even in the most punishing situations--to seek justice. Their supernatural abilities are mere assets to their wit and determination as they navigate glitzy parties and the seamy underbelly of Los Angeles in a novel that will likely have greater appeal to historical fiction and mystery fans than to fantasy readers. The story, which unfolds in alternating first-person narrations, is tightly wound and truly stress-inducing in places, with emotional revelations that cause characters to doubt everything they thought they knew. The descriptions of 1930s movie sets and surrounding scenery are lush and convincing, with animated minor characters fleshing out a well-researched setting. The novel shares characters with Murder for the Modern Girl (rev. 7/22)--Henny is that book's protagonist's younger sister --and will likely entrance readers both familiar with and new to the world.

Reviewer: Sarah Berman | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2023

(2) 4-6 Maggie knows the summer after fifth grade will be amazing because she's finally going to the performing arts camp of her dreams...until her parents send her to weight loss camp instead. While enduring inedible food and exhausting workouts, Maggie befriends her bunk mates -- Kit, an excitable Girl Scout; and Evelyn, a posh British girl--and tries out for the camp production of The Music Man, for which she scores the title role. But the camp's owner, the glamorous influencer Sylvia, seems determined to suck as much fun from camp as possible, and some of her ideas are downright creepy, like forcing the underage campers to donate blood. When campers start disappearing, Maggie realizes it's up to her to uncover Sylvia's secrets. For starters, what is she doing with all the blood? The characters' quirkiness makes them engaging and memorable, especially Kit with her great enthusiasm for all things outdoors. Humor is woven throughout, from Maggie's frequent sass to a scene of vampires on a Zoom call. The central focus is on Maggie's journey to overcome her personal fears, but the diet culture–obsessed vampires also allow for some moments of biting satire.

Reviewer: Bodie Shanis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2023

(2) 4-6 Theater camp is not how introverted twelve-year-old Maren Sands had planned to spend her summer. Nevertheless, she finds herself following in her sister Hadley's path at Camp Goodman. Maren generally avoids the stage, but she gains attention on the first day by finding the camp director's missing phone. This leads to her involvement in a mystery that dates back to the camp's 1960s founding. Maren follows clues, all connected to Twelfth Night, which seem to be leading her to a diamond ring allegedly hidden at the camp in its early days. Along the way, she processes feelings about Hadley's diagnosed depression and her parents' preoccupation with it. Interwoven are episodes from the life of Charlotte "Charlie" Goodman, sister of the camp's founder, who grew up in Hollywood and (supposedly) died while directing her first film. Key does a good job of bringing in such topics as the 1940s Hearings Against Accused Communists in Hollywood and related "Lavender Scare" without letting history overwhelm the storytelling (back matter provides more detail); and of allowing the book's themes of gender and sexuality to develop organically. (Having the closing day of camp coincide with the Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage is a nice touch.) The book's primary villains, a classic mean girl and a menacing corporate executive, are more types than characters, but many others, particularly Maren; her nonbinary bunkmate, Theo; and her movement instructor, Eartha, are more satisfyingly developed.

Reviewer: Sarah Rettger | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2022

(2) YA In 1959, seventeen-year-old Mazie suddenly finds herself with the funds to leave Nebraska and spend six weeks in New York City pursuing her Broadway dreams. At first she's overwhelmed and lonely, living in the big city at a boardinghouse for "theatrical young ladies" and ­learning the auditioning ropes. Repeated rejections make her question her singing and dancing talents, not to mention her appearance ("I come from...solid Nebraska stock"). Crowder's novel takes readers on an enjoyable trip back to a golden age in theater, providing an inside look at the business while name-dropping hit songs and shows and introducing readers to a little-known piece of history: industrial musicals, shows sponsored by companies to advertise their products. In her last week in the city, Mazie finally lands an understudy role in an "industrial" traveling across the Corn Belt to promote a new tractor. ­During the ­ten-show run, she winds up with the lead, gets to visit her family (and former boyfriend), and learns about herself and what really matters in life. Crowder believably weaves in complicated romance--for both the protagonist and a few queer secondary characters--but the focus is on Mazie's determination to prove to herself and others that she's got what it takes to succeed, an inspiring example for anyone with a similar dream.

Reviewer: Cynthia K. Ritter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2021

(2) K-3 Translated by David Henry Wilson. From the start of this quirky and heartfelt German import, it is clear that there is something a bit mysterious happening. Endpapers show a child peeking out from between red stage curtains; these curtains set the scene for the drama that is the life of a performer's daughter. "My mother can be lots of different people. Sometimes she's nice. And sometimes she's nasty. Sometimes she's quiet, and sometimes she's loud. You see, my mother's an opera singer." The narrator knows that her mother is just acting as she dies onstage, but as the child explains, while sitting in a large theater seat with her knees up to her shoulders and tears streaming down her face, "every time it looks real." Happily, by the time the family leaves for home, the opera star is transformed back into Mother, arm-in-arm with her partner and flanked by the narrator and her smaller sibling. Haslbauer (whose own mother was an opera singer) employs smart pacing and dramatic page-turns as the narrator explains what it's like to be related to someone who is larger than life. Illustrations use unusual angles, exaggerated sizes, and long pencil and brush strokes to emphasize Mother's outsized personality and artistic impact.

Reviewer: Maeve Visser Knoth | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2022

(3) Illustrated by Leo Espinosa. Denise tracks Moreno's rise from young Puerto Rican newcomer to New York City to Hollywood starlet and, eventually, 1962 Oscar winner (the first Puerto Rican honoree) for her iconic role in West Side Story. The engaging narrative emphasizes that Moreno's success was the result of talent, hard work, and some luck; along the way she fought against the industry's entrenched racism and sexism. Retro-style illustrations capture Moreno's exuberance, and a timeline follows her inspiring professional career through 2020. An author's note and list of selected sources are appended.

Reviewer: Kitty Flynn

(4) K-3 Illustrated by Ed Young. While based on cited research, this biography doesn't quite bring to life Chaplin's groundbreaking artistry. The free-verse text, rhyming occasionally and erratically, unpredictably switches from silent film cards to text blocks within illustrations.Young's collage and ink art, which is full of texture, color, and pattern, doesn't capture facial and body expression--a strange choice for a book about a celebrated visual communicator. Reading list.

Reviewer: Amy Seto Forrester

(4) YA Eighteen-year-old Maeve thinks about sex...a lot. But with her muscular dystrophy and wheelchair use, she worries about logistics--and possible rejection. Directing handsome Cole in a student film offers opportunities for flirting, dating, and sexting. Subplots involving a suicidal friend and an exploitative charity organizer are somewhat at odds with the romance, but Maeve's self-deprecating, raunchy narration successfully dispels stereotypes about people with disabilities.

Reviewer: Rachel L. Smith

(2) YA Illustrated by Harmony Becker. The actor/author/activist crafts his childhood memoir about his years spent in America's Japanese internment camps of World War II. Through all the unjust, degrading treatment they suffer, young George and his family maintain their resiliency, dignity, and humanity. Takei seamlessly blends his naive, limited childhood perspective with the wisdom and reflection of adulthood. Becker's emotive black-and-white panel illustrations are effective in their subtle nuances.

Reviewer: Jonathan Hunt | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2019

(4) 4-6 Fifth grader Oliver is obsessed with Tito the Bonecrusher, a former lucha libre wrestler turned action-movie star. When Oliver's father is jailed for tax fraud, he seeks the celebrity's help to break his dad out of prison. Some readers may balk at the naiveté of Oliver's plan and the coincidental plot threads, but Oliver's confusion, anger, and desperation are treated with compassion and authenticity.

Reviewer: Russell Perry

(2) K-3 Illustrated by Katy Wu. WWII-era film star Hedy Lamarr (1914–2000) was also an inventor whose "brain overflowed with idea after idea." Though Lamarr's technology is widely used in today's electronics, it took decades for her work to be acknowledged. Well-chosen quotes reveal Lamarr's frustration with people's assumptions about her intelligence based on her "pretty face." Approachable digital illustrations ably portray Lamarr in glitz-and-glam-Hollywood mode and at her inventing table. Reading list, timeline. Bib.

Reviewer: Elissa Gershowitz | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2019

(3) YA Seventeen-year-old Katherine seeks to avenge her Catholic father's death by masquerading as a male actor to kill Queen Elizabeth I. She and Toby, the closeted-bisexual royal spy charged with foiling the assassination, become mutually attracted while performing the leads in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, a play of disguises, deception, gender, and love. Told via dual first-person narratives, this entertaining historical novel deals with many still-relevant topics. Bib.

Reviewer: Carolyn Shute