Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2-4, younger for reading aloud. The famous abolitionist whose best-selling novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, stirred people to hate slavery and fight the Civil War is the latest subject of Adler's Picture Book Biographies series. Some of the history and the book discussion will be beyond the target audience, including the final note that Tom is certainly not a role model and that some consider the book racist. But Bootman's stirring, realistic oil paintings, including portraits of Stowe's family and of Abraham Lincoln as well as a double-page spread of slave women at work on a plantation, bring Stowe's life and the historical period up close. The combination of Stowe's personal story with a quiet account of the injustice she witnessed will introduce young readers to the facts about the woman who made a difference. --Hazel Rochman Copyright 2003 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-This biography offers easily accessible information supported by realistic, evocative oil paintings. The text begins with Stowe's early years and her love for reading. When her father became president of Lane Theological Seminary and the family moved from Connecticut to Cincinnati in 1832, she began to witness the horrors of slavery, which left a deep impression on her. Bootman's illustrations depict a youthful Stowe in a billowing dress and bonnet, absorbed in reading; slaves working the land; the mature writer with President Lincoln; and full spreads of scenes that would have been familiar to Stowe. The narrative will engage readers while imparting facts about the woman and the period in which she lived. However, quotes within the text are not documented.-Gina Powell, Hidenwood Elementary School, Newport News, VA (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Adler captures key events in Stowe's life and the impact of her famous novel, [cf2]Uncle Tom's Cabin[cf1], on national events. However, in an attempt to make the text both easy to read and informative, some statements (e.g., Stowe's book was one of the causes of the Civil War) lack context and are potentially misleading. The accompanying paintings enhance the text. Reading list, timeline, websites. Bib. From HORN BOOK Fall 2003, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Adler's latest in his Picture Book Biography series (A Picture Book of Lewis and Clark, Mar. 2003, etc.) documents the events that affected Harriet throughout her life and brought her to fame as an author. Born in 1811, Harriet was always a voracious reader, and discovered her penchant for writing in early adolescence. But the experiences that led her to become "the little lady who made this big war," did not come until her family moved from the free state of Connecticut to Ohio. With Kentucky right across the river, she viewed steamboats of slaves on their way to be sold in the Deep South, the posters advertising rewards for the return of runaways, and the slaves themselves, at work in the fields and mistreated by their owners. But it was not until 1851, at the age of 40, that Harriet began writing the weekly installments for an antislavery newspaper that would become her most famous work. Millions of readers learned of the horrors of slavery through Harriet's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin. She inflamed Americans who had not previously held an opinion on slavery, and many argue that she helped elect Abraham Lincoln. Adler focuses mainly on the events leading up to Uncle Tom. It is the perfect beginning for young readers doing a first project, or for school children who are getting acquainted with this period in American history. Author's notes, a list of important dates, and a list of resources help students find more information. Bootman's (Don't Say Ain't, p. 316, etc.) watercolor paintings fit the mood and time period of her day. His color palette reflects the seriousness of the topic, while at the same time showing readers the details of life in the 1800s. (Nonfiction. 6-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
