Review by New York Times Review
ONCE A LION and a man were walking, and they saw a great bronze sculpture on a pedestal. A bronze man was locked in battle with a fearsome bronze lion. The bronze man had pinned the bronze lion to the base of the pedestal and was clearly about to win the fight. The man said to the lion, "What a battle that must have been, can you imagine that, a man beating a lion?" The lion said to the man, "No, I can't, but I can imagine that men are much better at making bronze sculptures." Children's books, with their deceptively simple formats and ideologically direct messages, are a fascinating pedestal on which we can view not only historical episodes but also the practice of history itself, as three new historically based picture books show us. Don Brown's "Aaron and Alexander" reads with a wit and economy of line that reminds one of a New Yorker cartoon. This one, though, ends in an image of guns firing and one man's journey to the grave. The storied duel between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton provides the book's scaffold. Along the way we glean bits of information about each statesman's life, framed as a set of parallels and contrasts. We learn about the contested work of nation-building that Hamilton and Burr were engaged in, and that both were orphaned but did well in school, fought in the Revolution and became lawyers. But the book's primary framing device is the gunfight and the argument between the two men that led up to it. At the climactic moment, a two-page spread shows only a pistol in each hand and the words "BANG! BANG!" drawn in block letters, blasting us back to a time when history was measured in important shootings. The duel-ridden dawn of the 1800s may serve as a touchstone for parents or teachers to discuss contemporary gun culture, first-person-shooter video games or gangster rap. But the book also represents the most traditional of historical practices, in which the world is presented as a series of events, battles, "discoveries," births and deaths, with everything culminating in scenes that are often apocryphal: Washington chopping down the cherry tree or Pocahontas saving the life of Capt. John Smith. "GAME CHANGER," WRITTEN by John Coy and illustrated by Randy DuBurke, takes a different approach to the practice of history, presenting an "uncovered" story set against the backdrop of an accepted narrative. This book frames its narrative around good folks who fought injustice, racism and segregation through their participation in a sporting event. We learn about a secret college basketball game in the Jim Crow South in which blacks and whites - forbidden from officially competing in the same league - played against one another, then sat around together afterward talking, "the way basketball players do." It's the kind of story from which "inspirational" movies are made, in which there are no villains but the occasional local who says something like, "That's not how we do things 'round here." Where "Aaron and Alexander" reiterates the importance of already celebrated historic figures, "Game Changer" resurrects the lesser-known John McLendon, the African-American basketball coach of the North Carolina College for Negroes team, who made the "secret game" against the Duke University Medical School team happen, and the players on both squads who challenged tradition and played together. DuBurke's illustrations are appropriately historical in feel. The basketball scenes are rendered in sequences as quickly paced as television montage. Muted tones and a vintage newsreel patina add a veneer of authenticity. The historical bent of the storytelling is perhaps less authentic, weaving between reportage and occasional shortcuts intended for dramatic effect, as when Coy claims that some of the white players who grew up in the segregated South of nannies and footmen and countless service employees "had never been this close to a person of a different color." This book adds new heroes to the pantheon, yet continues the tradition of seeing the practice of history as being about electing heroes and creating unified narratives. BY CONTRAST, IN "Hiawatha and the Peacemaker" the practice of history itself undergoes a radical transformation in the able hands of Robbie Robertson, the musician and songwriter, and the Caldecott Honor artist David Shannon ("No, David!"). While the importance of the Iroquois Confederacy is well known (it's even thought to have influenced the formation of the government of the United States), and the figure of Hiawatha has been depicted by artists including Thomas Eakins and Edmonia Lewis, the narrative of the creation of the confederacy by the Mohawk leader and his mystic companion, the Great Peacemaker, is ripe for mythologizing. With its breadth, richness and emotional weight, this retelling of the story opens up the historical narrative for inquiry, curiosity and wonder. There is no one central moment. Robertson's prose paddles through the river of Hiawatha's journey with an urgency, vitality and import that many historical texts lack. Shannon, whose work has always exhibited a painterly expertise, does particularly well here. He changes angles and distance rapidly, moving from a spare landscape of the Peacemaker's canoe cutting through the morning mist to a two-page spread of an eye close up reflecting Hiawatha's lost family. His visual storytelling includes a wide range of references: a borrowed palette from Paul Gauguin, or elsewhere a style reminiscent of traditional paintings on deer or buffalo hides. A book like "Hiawatha and the Peacemaker" asks young readers to understand that all stories can be told from different perspectives, that history is the collection of stories we tell ourselves about who we are. It suggests that even if we are not the ones who can sculpt bronze statues on marble pedestals, telling and sharing one another's stories is the only way we can come to an understanding of what history really means. Young readers invited into the past in such a way will surely investigate further the stories that make up who they are, and find new ways to make myths of their own histories. CHRISTOPHER MYERS is the author and illustrator of books for children and young adults, including, most recently, "My Pen."
Copyright (c) The New York Times Company [November 24, 2015]
Review by Booklist Review
It can be fairly challenging to effectively communicate the historical perspectives and evolving politics of the American Revolution to elementary-schoolers. It can be even more difficult to convey the nuances and personalities of major players. This picture-book dual biography does a thorough job of tracing the lives of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton and accentuating the many parallel aspects of their upbringings. Both were orphans, exceptional students, soldiers in the Revolutionary War, lawyers (who actually worked together on a successful case), and high-profile politicians. It was politics that drove them apart and led to the notorious duel that resulted in Hamilton's death. Brown wisely chooses to emphasize personal details that will interest young readers, accompanied by just enough background information and brief, judiciously chosen quotes. Detailed pencil and watercolor illustrations provide many opportunities to compare and contrast, often through two-page facing spreads. Pair this with Dennis Brindell Fradin's Duel! (2008) to introduce students to these two patriots and spark interest in more in-depth research.--McBroom, Kathleen Copyright 2015 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In a compact yet conversational narrative, Brown (Mack Made Movie) draws multiple parallels between statesmen Burr and Hamilton while highlighting the pointlessness of the duel that bound them. Both were orphaned at a young age, diligent students, short in stature (yet long on courage fighting in the Revolutionary War), and became lawyers in New York City. The cordiality between Burr and Hamilton ended when the two "found themselves in opposing political camps" as the new republic took shape. Brown's vagueness about their ideological differences leaves a blank that might perplex some readers, yet he makes their divergent political personas clear. Hotheaded Hamilton's smear campaign on crowd-pleaser Burr's character contributed to Burr's loss to Thomas Jefferson in the 1800 presidential election, and eventually led to the duel that cost Hamilton his life. Despite his relaxed storytelling, Brown's loose, minimally detailed watercolors convey the emotions that governed each man's personality, as well as the tumult of the nascent nation. Especially dramatic is a close-up image of both duelers pulling the trigger, with an almost audible "BANG!" appearing below each hand. Ages 5-7. Agent: Angela Miller, Miller Agency. (Oct.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-5-Brown has taken on a formidable task in trying to present this controversial incident in American history to a picture book audience. Brown begins by describing the childhoods of Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton, emphasizing the parallels between their lives. Both were orphans, and both were extremely intelligent, entering prestigious universities at early ages. They even had similar nicknames, Little Burr and Little Lion. Both fought the British in New York and survived the winter at Valley Forge. Their political paths diverged after the American victory over the British, and the public vilification of Burr by Hamilton over a period of years finally prompted Burr to challenge Hamilton to a duel. At this point, history becomes fuzzy, as Brown details in his author's note ("The truth is forever lost to time."). Brown tells this troubling tale succinctly, capturing the drama and ultimate tragedy of the situation. His signature ink and watercolor illustrations support the text and reflect the historical period. VERDICT There is almost nothing on this piece of history for this age group, and young history buffs will appreciate this offering. Buy where there is potential interest.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ © Copyright 2015. 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
A strong compare/contrast pattern introduces youngsters to founding fathers Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Most of the information is personal: as young boys, both were orphaned; both froze at the Armys winter camp in Valley Forge; and both served in the burgeoning American government. Brown also weaves in their differences: Aaron grew up in Princeton, New Jersey, while Alexander lived on a Caribbean island; a loving uncle adopted young Aaron and his sister into his large family, while a merchant adopted Alexander but not his brother. After Aaron Burr was elected a United States senator and Alexander Hamilton was appointed secretary of the treasury, they found themselves in opposing political camps. The politics behind the 1800 election (in which Burr ran for president) take a back seat to the personal animosity between the two. Hamiltons biting criticism of Burr, in both this election and Burrs later bid for governor of New York, comes off as mean-spirited, while Burr takes the derision as a blow to his self-respect. Pen and watercolor illustrations in Browns near-impressionistic style, often placed in adjoining frames either on one page or double-page spreads with Burr on one side and Hamilton on the other, not only re-create the setting but also strengthen the personal divide. An authors note slightly expands the text, and a bibliography closes the book. Far from a definitive study, this brief overview admirably provides young readers with cognitive placeholders for later, more sophisticated, study of these two men. betty carter (c) Copyright 2015. 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
The peculiar enmity between founding fathers Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton culminated in an infamous duel. Brown takes a broad, evenhanded, and pared-down look at the lives of Burr and Hamilton. Both were orphaned as children, both were slender, bright, and determined. After serving in the Revolutionary War, they became lawyerseven occasional colleaguesand developed political passions. They look similar in the quick strokes of Brown's pen-and-wash illustrations: in gray coats and white cravats, their foreheads high and faces narrow. Panels and dialogue balloons create motion to match the brief, informative narrative. The irascible Hamilton frequently insulted Burr during Burr's 1800 presidential bid against Jefferson. When, in 1804, Burr ran for governor of New York, Hamilton struck an intolerable blow. Hamilton scowls, pen in hand, as the word "Despicable" appears in a thought balloon above his head. On the page opposite, Burr grimaces as he reads the word aloud, and it appears above his own head. This illustration is evoked at the climax, in which two hands holding pistols face off across the opening, smoke and blood-red fire spitting from the barrels, the word "BANG!" below each. The final page sums up the result for Burr, the survivor: regret and lost reputation. An author's note for older readers adds texture; the bibliography is adult-directed. Handsome, well-executed history for a young audience. (Informational picture book. 6-10) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
