A sentimental account of Jewish history, seen through the lens of Jerusalem. This is an interesting perspective in itself, but Waldman (Nancy Luenn's Mother Earth, 1992, etc.) often overly romanticizes and is entirely subjective about a topic that few people can approach objectively. For instance, in describing the events that led up to the destruction of the Second Temple, he writes ``Roman oppression increased, and the Jews revolted,'' which some may see as a tendentious reversal of causes and effects. The Jewish defense of the city is invariably heroic, and, despite sensitivity toward others' religious beliefs elsewhere, Waldman makes a cloaked reference, at least for children, to ``a great prophet [Jesus]'' who ``nearly two millennia earlier . . . discussed the future of humanity with his disciples.'' The illustrationsdone in watercolor and colored pencils, with a predilection for juxtaposing shades of purple with shades of greenappear like elegant snapshots against a grainy, beige background, each one with a caption (location, date). Although they are not on the whole very detailed, the architectural drawings are accurate and evocative. (chronology) (Picture book/nonfiction. 7- 11)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-689-80080-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1995
Strong rhythms and occasional full or partial rhymes give this account of P.T. Barnum’s 1884 elephant parade across the newly opened Brooklyn Bridge an incantatory tone. Catching a whiff of public concern about the new bridge’s sturdiness, Barnum seizes the moment: “’I will stage an event / that will calm every fear, erase every worry, / about that remarkable bridge. / My display will amuse, inform / and astound some. / Or else my name isn’t Barnum!’” Using a rich palette of glowing golds and browns, Roca imbues the pachyderms with a calm solidity, sending them ambling past equally solid-looking buildings and over a truly monumental bridge—which soars over a striped Big Top tent in the final scene. A stately rendition of the episode, less exuberant, but also less fictionalized, than Phil Bildner’s Twenty-One Elephants (2004), illustrated by LeUyen Pham. (author’s note, resource list) (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-44887-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2005
A sincere but unsuccessful effort.
A collection of 52 Bible stories that focuses on God’s love and portrays people with skin tones typical of the regions in which the stories took place.
This work, with illustrations that correct modern Western misrepresentations of Jesus as someone with “white skin, blue eyes, and blond hair,” is divided into two sections—“Old Testament Stories” and “New Testament Stories.” In the first half, readers will encounter the tales of Joseph, who forgave his jealous brothers for selling him into slavery; Moses, who led the Hebrews out of Egypt; and the daughters of Zelophehad, who fought to inherit their father’s land, among others. The second section, which focuses on Jesus’ message to “love God, neighbor, and self,” covers events including his baptism, crucifixion, and resurrection, as well as the Pentecost and the Revelation of John. While the book does a great job of emphasizing that God’s love is for everyone, the manner of delivery, which is heavily explanatory, robs the narrative of much interest. The audience is also unclear: Younger children may grow restless with the long passages of text and struggle to read the small font independently, while older readers may find that the overall design and appearance feel aimed at younger kids. Although this volume represents a noble attempt to portray brown and Black people in the Bible, the illustrations are uninspired and simplistic.
A sincere but unsuccessful effort. (authors’ notes, publisher’s note) (Nonfiction. 7-11)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781506487182
Page Count: 295
Publisher: Beaming Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
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