If the children you know think biographies are boring, this one will make them reconsider. The tapestry of words Rubini weaves together brilliantly portrays the amazing, quirky, shy, frog-loving woman and extraordinary writer who was Virginia Hamilton. Since Hamilton constantly dipped into the well of her own family history for book details, Rubini wisely begins several generations back, with Hamilton's enslaved great-grandmother Mary Cloud, who smuggled her son from Virginia to Ohio and delivered him to free relatives then disappeared. Descended from a long line of storytellers and "plain out-and-out liars," Hamilton relied heavily on what she called Rememory, "an exquisitely textured recollection, real or imagined, which is otherwise indescribable." Rubini traces Hamilton's evolution from aspiring writer to becoming "the most honored author of children's literature." Hamilton received award after award and in 1975 became the first African-American winner of the coveted Newbery Medal. (To date, only three other African-Americans have won the Newbery.) Rubini's biography entertains and informs in equal measure, and because she writes short paragraphs and highlights challenging words, young readers will find this a quick, accessible, and memorable read. Photographs and book covers punctuate the chapters, as do useful explanations of Hamilton's historical context and impact. Rich backmatter will also make this a useful classroom text. A biography worthy of the larger-than-life Virginia Hamilton. (Biography. 10-16)

If the children you know think biographies are boring, this one will make them reconsider. The tapestry of words Rubini weaves together brilliantly portrays the amazing, quirky, shy, frog-loving woman and extraordinary writer who was Virginia Hamilton. Since Hamilton constantly dipped into the well of her own family history for book details, Rubini wisely begins several generations back, with Hamilton's enslaved great-grandmother Mary Cloud, who smuggled her son from Virginia to Ohio and delivered him to free relatives then disappeared. Descended from a long line of storytellers and "plain out-and-out liars," Hamilton relied heavily on what she called Rememory, "an exquisitely textured recollection, real or imagined, which is otherwise indescribable." Rubini traces Hamilton's evolution from aspiring writer to becoming "the most honored author of children's literature." Hamilton received award after award and in 1975 became the first African-American winner of the coveted Newbery Medal. (To date, only three other African-Americans have won the Newbery.) Rubini's biography entertains and informs in equal measure, and because she writes short paragraphs and highlights challenging words, young readers will find this a quick, accessible, and memorable read. Photographs and book covers punctuate the chapters, as do useful explanations of Hamilton's historical context and impact. Rich backmatter will also make this a useful classroom text. A biography worthy of the larger-than-life Virginia Hamilton. (Biography. 10-16)

Gr 6 Up- biography of Virginia Hamiltonthe award-winning author of such classics as Zeely and M.C. Higgins, the Greatfor middle schoolers. Rubini presents Hamilton's life story as one filled with both triumphs and struggles, focusing on what it was like to be an African American woman author in the 1960s. The work offers insight into what inspired Hamilton to craft her groundbreaking books. "Did You Know?" inserts accompany the text and provide background on the civil rights movement and more, though the boxes occasionally disrupt the narrative flow. By contrast, the photographs and back matter contribute greatly to the reading experience. VERDICT A general addition to nonfiction biography collections, especially wherever Hamilton's titles are in demand.Aileen Barton, Choctaw Public Library, OK