The Hero in You

K-Gr 4—Paul's songs about 13 remarkable Americans comprise the text of this book and CD. The spreads include the words and several illustrations, with bubbles to fill in a few biographical details. The diverse group ranges from lesser-known individuals such as Nellie Bly and the White House chef for James Madison and "father of ice cream," Augustus Jackson, to the likes of Woodie Guthrie and Rachel Carson. They represent an array of interests and careers: cooks, activists, musicians, artists, naturalists, scientists, dancers, inventors, peacemakers, and athletes. Paul's message is overt: when we follow our hearts and are true to ourselves, our lives are often magnificent. He invites children to be themselves and find what it is they love. The songs and instrumentation are telling and appropriate for their subject and audience. A mournful flute is played at the start of Chief Joseph's song, while Rachel Carson's song is infused with birdsong and in keeping with the refrain, "She wandered, wondering, what could she bring/to give a voice to the silence of the spring." While the simple cartoon illustrations provide information, along with the text, it is the music that really drives the emotional connection to these figures. It's a celebration not to be missed.—Teresa Pfeifer, The Springfield Renaissance School, Springfield, MA