Dolley Madison

Gr 1–4—History and humor blend in this new series that covers women whose lives have shaped the United States. The taglines included on the covers provide clues about each individual's contribution. In Dolley Madison, Krull covers the First Lady's popular "Wednesday Nights," formal dinners at the White House ("Parties can be patriotic"), which gave guests the opportunity to socialize and network. Sacajawea details Lewis and Clark's guide's knowledge of languages and the Northwest, which ensured the success of the expedition ("Lewis and Clark would be lost without me"). Sonia Sotomayor stresses the Supreme Court justice's lifelong commitment to making the right choices ("I'll be the judge of that") and working hard to overcome challenges and meet goals. Judy Blume describes the acclaimed author's commitment to writing honestly and realistically ("Are you there, reader? It's me, Judy!"), which has made her the target of censorship. An upbeat tone runs through these books, and Krull's language is accessible, occasionally making use of the vernacular, such as describing Sotomayor as being "jazzed" about a scholarship or referring to the Founding Fathers as "FF." Sacajawea's story has a guide for accurate name pronunciation, and there's an extensive further reading list, but quotes are unsourced. Several picture books and collected biographies about women are available, including some by Krull, but there hasn't been a series of individual books about women for this grade level since Blackbirch's "Library of Famous Women" and "Library of Famous Women Juniors." Interior color illustrations, executed by different illustrators and in different styles, further enhance these titles.