With Books and Bricks: How Booker T. Washington Built a School

K-Gr 2—Booker T. Washington is a well-known historical figure, but the story of how he built the Tuskegee Institute by hand is not quite as common. This picture book brings the tale to light accessibly and engagingly. Young readers are sure to marvel at the accomplishments of Washington and his perseverance in spite of obstacles. The story is told simply, with beautiful watercolor and pencil illustrations. An endnote goes into more detail about Washington's life and struggle to bring education to all. While this is not an all-encompassing biography, it is certainly a notable story about a lesser-known aspect of his life. Readers will enjoy this title, and it will easily tie in to school units as an enticing read-aloud.—Ellen Norton, White Oak Library District, Crest Hill, IL

Slade highlights Washington's devotion to education by focusing on his role in the creation of a schoolhouse for black students in Tuskegee, Ala., which would eventually grow to become Tuskegee University. The construction process is arduous: digging for clay to bake bricks was difficult enough; thousands of bricks were ruined when two kilns Washington built broke. Squirrely pencil lines and milky watercolors lend an ephemeral quality to Tadgell's art. The focus on the hard work at the heart of accomplishment makes this story especially rewarding and relatable; a closing quote from Washington drives home the underlying message: "Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he has overcome while trying to succeed." Ages 7-10. Illustrator's agent: Christina A. Tugeau. (Sept.)