Children's books

Young readers find biography a fascinating branch of nonfiction, and this glance at America’s best-known naturalist is both engaging and beautiful. From his childhood as the beloved illegitimate son of a wealthy French sea captain, to his joyful discovery of New World fauna while living hand to mouth as a portrait painter, to the unexpected triumph of Birds of America, Audubon lived a charmed life even in hardship. His footloose character (and that of his faithful and patient wife) comes through, but also his love and reverence for God’s creation, shown in the gorgeously reproduced prints.

Fatal Fever: Tracking Down Typhoid Mary

When typhoid fever broke out among New York elites in 1906, frightened citizens hired health inspector George Soper to track down the source of the disease, which was fatal in at least 1 case out of 10. The search ended with Mary Mallon, an Irish immigrant cook with excellent references who proved to be the rare case: a carrier who could pass on the disease without showing symptoms of it. Fatal Fever reads like a crime investigation, with tabloid touches and dramatic moments. Once authorities quarantine Mary, the tension drops, but readers will certainly feel convicted about washing their hands.

Most Dangerous: Daniel Ellsberg and the Secret History of the Vietnam War

Daniel Ellsberg—the “most dangerous man in America”—is Sheinkin’s pivot point for his engaging history of the messy Vietnam War era. Ellsberg began the war as a promising young government analyst. By war’s end he was a prominent anti-war protester, intentionally leaking secret government documents—the Pentagon Papers—to the press. Sheinkin creates complex and nuanced portraits of historical figures from presidents to war correspondents, and offers no easy answers. Suspenseful action, terse descriptions, and a “spy movie” feel make this a page turner even for adults. Plentiful endnotes and documentation support Sheinkin’s claims.

Bonhoeffer, Student Edition: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy

Metaxas chooses interesting details and original quotations to humanize Bonhoeffer and explore his enormous influence on the German church during the rise of the Nazi regime. He challenges readers to connect Bonhoeffer’s struggles to present-day concerns such as personal faith, prayer, and boldness. Beginning with timelines and ending with “things to think about,” chapters form succinct units complete with vocabulary (“idolatry,” “pacifism”), maps, and photographs. Bonhoeffer’s critique of Nazi power can shed light for young Christians about the challenges facing the church today.

Spotlight

The protagonists of George by Alex Gino (Scholastic, 2015) and Gracefully Grayson by Ami Polonsky (Disney-Hyperion, 2014)—two recent novels aimed at middle-graders—long to play leading parts in their class plays. But Charlotte the spider and Persephone the goddess are female characters, and both George and Grayson were “assigned male” at birth. Thus the central conflict strides out front and center: how to assume a female identity when the world sees you as a boy.

With transgenderism framed as the new civil rights frontier, critics are lavishing praise on both books. Both George and Grayson come across as sympathetic, but the plotlines are thin and the writing style barely above average. The authors rely on stereotypical details like an obsession with clothes, accessories, and makeup to convey their characters’ female inclinations. That sets the books apart from most middle-grade novels, in which authors depict girly girls as airheads. Instead of fostering tolerance, such gender-blending and -bending is more likely to confuse than clarify. —J.B.C.