Jeanette Winter (1939–2025)

The inspiring true story of Alia Muhammed Baker, the chief librarian of Basra's Central Library, whose heroic actions during the invasion of Iraq resulted in the saving of 70% of that institution's treasured holdings, is here retold in picture-book form by Jeanette Winter, whose other biographies for younger readers include Wangari's Trees of Peace: A True Story from Africa and My Name Is Georgia. With simple text and bright acrylic illustrations, Winter sets out the amazing tale of Alia's show more struggle to save the books (one of them a 700-year-old biography of the Prophet Muhammad) entrusted to her care: how, when rumors began to circulate that the war would soon reach Basra, she asked the governor for permission to move the collection; and how, when she was refused, she began moving it in secret herself, enlisting the aid of friends to save some 30,000 volumes.

It's difficult to know, sometimes, how best to introduce thorny topics like our military involvement in Iraq to children, but I think The Librarian of Basra is an excellent beginning place. Rather than offering a falsely rosy picture of the invasion on the one hand, one meant to assuage American unease or bolster American propaganda; or a relentlessly brutal portrait of the conflict on the other, one meant to demonize either the Ba'athist regime or the invading forces, this book simply sets out a story of one woman: a civilian, caught up in the madness of war. It demonstrates the painful reality that, in a war-zone, the civilian has no friend, and the interests of "the people" - the preservation of life, and the continuation of culture - must often be safeguarded at great personal risk, and in the face of official opposition.

In short: if you're looking for something to make your child feel "good" about our involvement in Iraq (and I can't imagine why you would be), this isn't the book for you. But if you're looking for a book that offers a fairly gentle introduction to a decidedly un-gentle topic, one that also tells an amazing true story, then consider this. show less

When Nasreen's father is arrested by the repressive Taliban regime, and her mother disappears while out searching for news of him, the young Afghan girl retreats inward, building walls of silence and stillness around herself. Her grandmother, worried that she might never emerge from this internal exile, takes the extraordinary step of enrolling her in one of the secret and highly illegal schools for girls set up in Afghanistan, in defiance of the Taliban. Will books and learning "open her show more eyes to the world," as her grandmother hopes, or will Nasreen remain wrapped in a world of silent mourning...?

One of our September selections, over in the Picture-Book Club to which I belong, where the theme is "back-to-school books," Nasreen's Secret School is a moving portrait of a young girl caught up in frightening adult events well beyond her control. Nasreen's response - to shut down completely - struck me as completely believable, and terribly poignant. Her grandmother's courage, in defying an unjust law, and her faith in the power of education, left me reflecting on how much we take for granted, as both children and adults, when we speak of school, and the choices we have made, or intend to make.

Choice itself is something we take for granted, and Winter's simple narrative, one of many true stories from around the globe that she has turned into picture-books, will bring that truth home to readers young and old. The accompanying illustrations, done in acrylic paint, emphasize the menace that surrounds Nasreen, and her smallness in a large and frightening world. Recommended to anyone - parents, librarians, teachers - looking for books to explain the effects of the Taliban regime to children, or to teach how precious a gift schooling is. show less

"If you had lived on Utopia Parkway not so long ago," begins this delightful picture-book biography of assemblage artist Joseph Cornell, "you might have walked past this house," referring to the Queens home of the now famous creator of magical box-collages assembled from found objects. Cornell neither drew nor painted - he made 'Wonderlands' in boxes, filled with "dreams and memories." Employed as a fabric salesman, he created these objects for his own pleasure, and for the children in his show more neighborhood, whom he considered his primary audience. Eventually word spread of his creations, and other artists and collectors sought him out. Although he achieved great success, Cornell never forgot who his true audience was, and his final exhibition, held in 1972 at the Cooper Union, was created especially for children.

Jeanette Winter, whose other picture-book biographies include such titles as The Watcher: Jane Goodall's Life with the Chimps and The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq, here crafts an informative read, one which encourages children to "see" Cornell in his natural habitat, as he went about his work. As an admirer both of Cornell's boxes and Winter's biographies, I was excited to discover Mr. Cornell's Dream Boxes recently, and pleased to find that it lived up to my expectations. Both narrative and artwork are appealing, presenting the story of a man who followed his passion, whether that entailed creating intricate boxes full of objects found around New York City, or keeping journals that eventually totaled more than 30,000 pages. The artwork, with its dark outlines against white pages, in the spread featuring Cornell's house, or its muted purplish blues, used in depicting the various box themes, ably captures its subject matter. All in all, a lovely little biography, one I would recommend to children interested in art or the artistic process. show less

I was surprised by how much I liked this picture book biography of tennis stars Venus and Serena Williams, but I appreciated how nuanced it was and thought it would appeal to kids on multiple levels.

The story begins with the two sisters growing up in Compton, California. The dangers and privation of their home is hinted at with trash on the court and concentrating on the ball to ignore the sound of gunfire. The story moves through their first tournaments, where they face "a sea of white show more faces" and depend on each other and their focus to win. They move to Florida, grow up, and begin competing even more seriously. A series of spreads show the young women playing, their faces tense with concentration, waves of color surrounding their powerful, graceful bodies. They begin expanding their interests, but then both get sick. They continue to train, practice, and play tennis together, strong in body, mind, and family support. Jeanette Winter's powerful collages, with blocky color, blur the faces of bystanders and audiences, focusing attention on the two sisters.

The bond between sisters and their resilience in the face of challenges are understandable by kids from a variety of backgrounds. Even if they don't face the specific challenges of the sisters, they will understand the importance of working hard at something they love, building concentration, and not listening to naysayers. It's also worth noting that Winters' shows Black, athletic bodies as beautiful, focusing on the sisters' grace, strength, and abilities rather than just their physical appearance. The supportive bond between sisters is powerfully portrayed also, refusing to let their sport and competition come between them. Winter's illustrations show two powerful women, who are strong even when they are physically weak.

Verdict: A great read-aloud for a variety of ages, this will appeal to kids who are interested in sports as well as those with siblings. Both inspiring and realistic about challenges in life, it features two powerful women who work together to support each other, their families, and make a difference in the world.

ISBN: 9781534431218; Published April 2019 by Beach Lane Books; F&G provided by the publisher; Purchased for the library show less