by Isabel Sanchez Vegara (Author) Erica Salcedo (Illustrator)
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PreS-Gr 1--These colorful, straightforward biographies introduce the stories of Georgia O'Keeffe, Jane Austen, and Harriet Tubman to young audiences. The important roles these women played in history are simplified into lively, age-appropriate picture books. The content is limited to a narrative approach with simple vocabulary; each biography features key events from each woman's childhood, pivotal experiences, and accomplishments. The dates and time lines included are very sparse with some difficult details included but not elaborated, such as slavery and beatings in Harriet Tubman's book. The stylized illustrations will be appealing to young readers, and the stories of these important women may serve as inspiration for further reading. Some opportunities are missed; for example, the illustrations in Georgia O'Keeffe's biography do not include examples of the artist's work. Additionally, context is lacking in some cases; an illustration of the new 20 dollar bill in Harriet Tubman may be confusing to readers as it is not mentioned in the text of the biography. While these volumes may spark interest in their subjects, they will be better used as overviews rather than research materials. VERDICT This series serves as good precursors to more sophisticated biographies.--Jamie Jensen, Wayne Cox Elementary School, Roanoke, TX
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children's books. In 2014, she created a book for her two twin nieces for their birthday, which shortly thereafter became the first book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This multimillion-copy bestselling series of picture books explores the lives of outstanding people. From Mahatma Gandhi to Aretha Franklin, to Prince, Sánchez Vegara researches complex careers and makes them accessible to young children, with her unique and mindful style of writing. She works with a diverse team of illustrators to make each book lively, eye-catching and motivating. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture.
Eng Gee Fan, pronounced in Chinese as Yī Fán, graduated in Visual Communication and, after one-and-half years in the design industry, decided to embark on a full-time illustration career. She is currently based in Perlis, Malaysia.