Reviews of The Sea Knows

Booklist – April 15th, 2020

What does the sea know? Quite a bit, according to this well-crafted picture book. The rhythmic verse text begins with a series of opposites, such as “The sea knows huge. / The sea knows small. / The sea knows short. / The sea knows tall.” The text gradually moves away from contrasts and toward concepts with shared properties. Finally, a sequence of dynamic events builds up to a dramatic storm before resolving fittingly with “The sea knows when / the storms should cease. / The sea knows calm. / The sea knows peace.” Visually, the book begins with people standing on a pier and observing the ocean, shifts to a series of underwater scenes, and then draws back again to watch the storm arrive and recede. Full of movement, grace, and intriguing details, the digital artwork illustrates the text beautifully. An informative appended section elaborates on sea creatures and phenomena mentioned in the verse. The writing flows well, making this picture book a pleasure to read aloud and a natural for classroom units on the sea.

— Carolyn Phelan

The Sea Knows Read Aloud

ISBN-13: 978-1524768317 | Schwartz & Wade Books | Elizabeth Hadle

The Girl Who Named Pluto: The Story of Venetia Burney

May 2019

When Venetia Burney's grandfather reads aloud from the newspaper about a new discovery--a "ninth major planet" that has yet to be named--her eleven-year-old mind starts whirring. She is studying the planets in school and loves Roman mythology. "It might be called Pluto," she says, thinking of the dark underworld. Grandfather loves the idea and contacts his friend at London's Royal Astronomical Society, who writes to scientists at the Lowell Observatory in Massachusetts, where Pluto was discovered. After a vote, the scientists agree unanimously: Pluto is the perfect name for the dark, cold planet.

2019 Junior Library Guild Selection
2020 Bank Street Best Children’s Book

Reviews

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Penguin Random House

Starred Review, Kirkus - May 14th, 2019

It’s 1930, and an 11-year-old girl in Oxford, England, is about to make history.
McGinty first introduces readers to young Venetia Burney attentively listening to a school lesson about the solar system and quickly establishes Venetia’s voracious curiosity across disciplines. The elegant yet accessible text is packed with historical tidbits that contextualize her scientific contribution without overwhelming readers (for example, the fact that her well-connected grandfather had a friend in the Royal Astronomical Society who shared Venetia’s idea with the Lowell Observatory astronomers). Third-person present-tense narration draws readers into the exact moment when, upon hearing that a ninth planet has been discovered, Venetia suggests a name: “she knows that this planet, so far from the sun, must be frozen, dark, and lifeless…like…the underworld ruled in Roman myths by Neptune’s brother, Pluto.” Haidle’s layered, semiopaque washes of blue-gray ink with rusty red accents impart a gravitas that supports the significance of Venetia’s contribution and, echoing sepia-tone photos, emphasizes her place in history. The muted color palette somewhat obfuscates skin tones, but most people, including Venetia, appear white. The constellations on the endpapers immediately introduce the connection between mythology and astronomy that inspired Venetia, while stylized maps and diagrams of the solar system will enthrall readers of all ages.
An inspiring and beautifully illustrated tale made all the better by its historical foundation. (author’s note) (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

Link to Kirkus Review

Best Children’s Books of 2019; The year’s best aviation- and space-themed book for young readers, Air and Space Magazine - December 5th, 2019

10 Awesome books for young girls that encourage and celebrate STEM, NBC News - August 29th, 2019

Odd pairings of 2019 children’s books, School Library Journal - October 1, 2019

The Girl Who Named Pluto (Author Interview), Picture Book Builders - May 21, 2019

'The Girl Who Named Pluto' Stars in New Picture Book, Space.com - May 13, 2019

Northern Lights Book Award, Food Category, Northern Dawn Awards - 2019

Q&A with Alice McGinty, Author of Globe-Trotting Picture Book ‘Pancakes to Parathas’, Little Bee Books - January 15, 2019

Reviews of Gandhi

Starred Review,  School Library Journal – May, 2013 Gr 1-4: This lyrical picture book tells the story of Gandhi’s role in the 1930 Salt March, a peaceful protest of the British-imposed taxation of salt in India. Gandhi and 78 others walked more than 200 miles to gather salt for use and sale in direct violation of a British law that they felt was unjust. The flowing text describes how the marchers faced soldiers, were encouraged by villagers along the way, and how Gandhi’s consistent and gentle confidence kept them on the right path. Stunning mixed-media artwork portrays the journey in brilliant hues with a soft touch. Gandhi’s familiar figure is included in every painting, in unique and inspiring ways; sometimes just his feet, or close-ups of his face, but most often silhouetted against the dramatic landscape of India. While this book shares only a small part of Gandhi’s legacy, it is a key moment in India’s fight for independence, an excellent example of his life and work, and an intriguing introduction to the man. Demi’s Gandhi (S & S, 2001) may provide more detail and a broader scope, but this gorgeous, thoughtful account should be in every biography collection.–Jody Kopple, Shady Hill School, Cambridge, MA.

Publisher’s Weekly, April, 2013: McGinty crafts a subtle yet expansive portrait of Mohandas Gandhi, centering on his leadership during a 24-day march to perform the forbidden act of taking salt from the Arabian Sea (a response to the British government’s control of resources). Melodic free verse ruminates on the symbolism behind Gandhi’s actions: “With his own hands,/ Gandhi draws water,/ from the Untouchables’ well,/ to wash his dusty body/ cool and clean…. He tells Muslims, Hindus, and Untouchables/ that they are different but the same./ India needs them all/ to work as one/ for freedom.” The great majority of Gonzalez’s lavish paintings emphasize modesty and quiet integrity: Gandhi walks the dry earth, barefoot and in solidarity with India’s poor. A striking profile of a luminous human rights activist. Ages 6–up. (Apr.)

Kirkus Reviews, March, 2013: McGinty’s gentle, poetic picture book, awash with sunrises, salt, sand and sensory images, tells an intense present-tense story of Mohandas Gandhi’s 24-day march to the sea in 1930 in search of freedom and peaceful change for the people of India. The bespectacled, contemplative face of Gandhi that appears on the front cover of the book sets the mood for the story, emphasizing his determination. His goal is to challenge 200 years of British rule by breaking the law prohibiting Indians from collecting salt from the sea. His march changes more than just the attitudes of the British. Gandhi sometimes walks alone and at other times leads throngs of people from a variety of castes. When he reaches out to the untouchables and even washes in their well water, “[d]isgust and fear / brew like storms / in the villagers’ watching eyes.” Remaining undeterred and true to his faith, Gandhi marches on. Gonzalez’s rich mixed-media illustrations shift perspectives often to focus on the important elements in each scene: Bare feet and dirty white trousers hint at the difficulty of the journey; faceless crowds that melt into the horizon suggest the size of Gandhi’s following. An imperfect marriage of text and illustrations sometimes creates confusion more than clarity, as when elaborately dressed female dancers suddenly appear on the road with the walkers. Despite this, the book tells a story worth remembering. This walk with Gandhi is time well-spent. (Picture book. 6-12) __________ “This re-telling of a fascinating story introduces today’s American children to a remarkable man who freed India and influenced the whole world, the United States included.” —Rajmohan Gandhi, professor at the University of Illinois and a grandson of Mahatma Gandhi.

Reviews of Darwin

Kirkus says: ”An accessible and thoroughly engaging biography of the much-profiled scientist, this easy-to-follow narrative is enriched by striking illustrations and excerpts from Darwin’s own writings. Exquisite and enlightening.”

Booklist says: ”McGinty does a fine job of communicating Darwin’s personal humility as well as his passion for exploring the natural world, his tireless work to understand it better, and his reluctance to publish a theory that seemed to contradict religious teaching. The interplay of the clearly written third-person text with Darwin’s own words and occasional quotes from his contemporaries creates a multifaceted view that leads to a broader understanding. Biographies of scientists can be challenging to write for an audience unfamiliar with their research, but this one succeeds in introducing Darwin and his work to a surprisingly young group.” - Carolyn Phelan

Wired Magazine says: ”Though aimed at the young evolutionary (ages 6 to 9), Darwin is a surprisingly sophisticated biography, incorporating verbatim excerpts from the naturalist’s own letters and diaries.”(January 2009)