Karen Clemens Warrick

This dense book is packed with information on various explorers from John Franklin to Roald Amundsen. It tells the stories of those who set out in search for the fabled northwest passage and the dangers they faced as they pushed into the Arctic regions searching for such a passage. I found the last chapter to be the most informative. It also briefly mentions the Inuit way of life and how global warming is disrupting their culture. Melting polar ice will result in a much easier northwest passage which will effect the Inuit and change the pattern of ship travel. There were few illustrations and photographs in the book and few internet sources listed for teachers. This book would be useful for students researching the Northwest Passage, but does not have appeal as a "read aloud" book. Target grades: 5th and up.… (más)

This biography of the author of The House on Mango Street is sure to inspire fans of Sandra Cisneros. As part of the Latino Biography Library series, Sandra Cisneros: Inspiring Latina Author will appeal to readers of all ages, but especially to young adults and aspiring writers.

Author Karen Clemens Warrick provides useful and detailed insights into the life and writings of the respected author. We follow Cisneros on her journey to develop her own writing style as she travels from Chicago to Iowa, from Europe to Texas. Along the way she learns to find her voice through her writing and speak out loud. Through many challenges, Cisneros has always relied upon her writing, and she has led the way for many other writers.

This biography makes excellent use of call-out boxes to bring focus on interesting pieces of information. Also, the book features beautiful full color photographs that hold a reader's attention. A handy chronology, glossary, and index are included. Additionally, Warrick provides resources for further reading and a list of books written by Cisneros. Finally, the chapter notes are perfect for students working on book reports.

The Bottom Line: With the reinforced library binding, Sandra Cisneros: Inspiring Latina Author by Karen Clemens Warrick is sure to last the test of time. The text is clearly written and a pleasure to read. Highly recommended as an excellent biography for kids in grades 6 and up.

This book review also appears in the Mini Book Bytes Book Review Blog: http://minibookbytes.blogspot.com/

Note: Enslow Publishers provided a complimentary copy to Mini Book Bytes for review purposes.… (más)