Nancy Churnin

Picture-book biographer Nancy Churnin, whose previous contributions to the form include such titles as The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game and The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England, turns to the story of author, academic and poet Katharine Lee Bates in this moving work. Born in 1859 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, at a time when women did not commonly receive higher education, Bates was in the second graduating class of Wellesley show more College, and became an English professor, published poet and novelist, social reformer, and author of the first textbook of American literature written by a woman. In 1893, on a trip west, she looked out at the view from the top of Pike's Peak, in the Rocky Mountains, and she composed a poem whose words would eventually become America the Beautiful, one of the most beloved songs in American history...

Although I have known and loved the song American the Beautiful since I was a child, and although I knew the basic story of its composition, I nevertheless found For Spacious Skies: Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for "America the Beautiful" both informative and moving. Perhaps this latter is because I have become more keenly conscious, in recent years, of the dangers of regional prejudice and division within America, and the harm that this is doing to us. I was moved almost to tears, reading that one of the inspirations for Bates' poem, which came to her while watching a sea of prairie grass pass by in Kansas, and being reminded of the Atlantic ocean waves of her home in Massachusetts, was that the diverse peoples of America had more in common with one another than it might first appear to the onlooker. A celebration of the physical beauty of our country, and of the moral beauty of its vision of freedom and equality, however imperfectly realized, this is a song that is needed now more than ever, when so many seem to have lost faith in the nation. It is a song of unity and celebration, but it is also a prayer for uplift and improvement, a plea that our endeavors be aimed at the highest and noblest ideals.

Churnin's narrative here is engaging, involving, and perfectly captures the intellectual and emotional significance of Bates' best-known literary creation. The accompanying artwork of Olga Baumert, an expatriate Polish illustrator now living in the UK, is beautifully matched to the text, with a folk-art sensibility that I greatly enjoyed. With its outstanding text, beautiful artwork, and deeply moving subject, this was a rare five-star title for me. I recommend it to young admirers of the song, and to picture-book readers who enjoy biography. It would pair very nicely with a picture-book presentation of the song itself - perhaps the one illustrated by Wendell Minor, or the one done by Bates' own great-great-grand nephew, Chris Gall. show less

An engaging picture-book biography of Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, the Queen Consort of King George III of England, this lovely title explores its eponymous royal's role in introducing the Christmas Tree to England. Raised in northern Germany, Charlotte was not like other princesses - she enjoyed the outdoors, and didn't care too much about messing up her fancy clothing. Married to the King of England at a young age, she struggled to find her feet in this new country, where she didn't show more at first speak the language. It was through her love of children - Charlotte established hospitals and orphanages to help the unfortunate, and is widely credited with making charity work an essential part of royal duties - that she first brought the German Christmas tradition of decorating evergreens to England. Through her, and through her children and grandchildren (particularly Queen Victoria), the custom was popularized, spreading also to America...

King George III doesn't get much good press in the United States, for obvious reasons, and I don't think I've ever run across a children's book about his wife (even though Charlotte, North Carolina is named for her), so I picked up The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England with quite a bit of curiosity. What I discovered was that Charlotte was an interesting and in many ways admirable character. As I read the story here, I kept thinking that her life would make for an excellent television miniseries, given the "fish out of water" aspect of her coming to live in a foreign country, and marrying a man she had never met. Leaving that aside, if nothing else, I'm certainly glad that we have Christmas trees, through her good actions! Author Nancy Churnin's narrative here is engaging, and she provides an interesting afterword, with more information about her subject. The artwork from illustrator Luisa Uribe is colorful and appealing, ably complementing the story. All in all, a lovely little picture-book biography and work of history, one I particularly recommend for holiday reading! show less

This picture book biography tells the story of Charlie Sifford, the first African-American man to play golf in the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). The book details his life from a young boy sneaking on to a "whites only" golf course at night to play the sport he loved to winning multiple National Negro Open trophies to fighting against the unjust "Caucasian-only" clause of the PGA.

This book was a fascinating read in that I didn't know anything about Sifford prior to reading this, show more not being a golf fan myself. In reading this title, I learned a lot of information that I did not previously know. The main text includes many details about Sifford's life and backmatter adds to that with an author's note and a timeline.

Sifford received both inspiration and encouragement from Jackie Robinson, although the latter also warned how being the first person to integrate a sport could be lonely and difficult. This is a good book for talking about racial injustice even with relatively young children as the problem is presented here but it is described without violent actions having taken place.

Obviously, I could see teachers using this title during a unit for Black History Month, but it should not be relegated to February only. Sports fans and history lovers will both enjoy this book at any time of year.

The illustrations are striking and complement the text well, with just the right balance of small details included in the vibrant portraits. show less

When Lila and her family emigrate from Ireland to the United States in the 19th century, driven out of their homeland by an Gorta Mór—the Great Famine—she and her younger siblings wonder whether Jack, the spirit said to haunt the streets on Halloween night, using a carved turnip lantern as a guide, will follow them to this new land. Despite assuring her siblings that Jack will indeed be coming to America, Lila discovers that the turnips necessary to make jack-o-lanterns, traditionally show more carved for Halloween night, are in short supply. Fortunately, in the process of meeting her new friend Julia, Lila discovers pumpkins, and a new tradition is born...

I was excited to learn about Lila and the Jack-o'-Lantern: Halloween Comes to America, as it is the first children's story I have encountered that addresses the historical root of the jack-o-lantern tradition, brought to these shores by Irish immigrants. Author Nancy Churnin appears to be exploring the origins of various holiday traditions in her picture books recently, highlighting how Christmas trees came to the English-speaking world in her 2018 The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England, and how Valentines Day cards came to be sent in the states, in Valentines for All: Esther Howland Captures America's Heart, published earlier this year. I found her narrative here engaging, although not as poignant as expected, given that this was an immigrant story. That said, I did find it very interesting, and appreciated the inclusion of the historical note at the rear, with the recipes for colcannon and barmbrack (other Halloween traditions!). The accompanying artwork from illustrator Anneli Bray, although not a stand-out in my opinion, was nevertheless cute. Recommended to picture book readers and audiences looking for Halloween stories with a historical setting, or to anyone seeking children's stories about the origin of the jack-o-lantern, and how it came to America. show less