Customer Comments

What was it like for young African-American girls to see Vanessa Williams crowned Miss America in 1983? Charles, drawing from her own beauty pageant experience, gives us 13-year-old strong, believable Vanessa (“Nessy) who wants top dream big, but can’t imagine her own darker-than-Williams’ skin will ever be considered beautiful. She deals with a physically absent mother and an emotionally-absent father, the struggle to survive on limited resources, middle grade friends and enemies, racism, and all the usual middle school self-doubt. I love Nessy’s big heart, the way she grows and changes and is always supported by a loving grandfather and cousin. Young readers will appreciate her efforts to accept herself as she works toward winning her middle school beauty pageant.

First, I must admit two things. 1) Though I love the natural world, I am not very interested in science. So, 2) if I had not known the author, I doubt I’d have chosen to read this book. Imagine my surprise when I not only loved the book, but bought it as a present for both kids and adults. Loree Griffen Burns writes in an engaging, inviting style that makes science an adventure, and scientists, brave explorers. Erling Ólafsson’s life’s work has been spent studying Surtsey, an “upstart” volcanic island that appeared off of Iceland in 1963 and has provided an unprecedented opportunity to study how life on such an island evolves. Kids will love the details of how science is done in such an environment, and how carefully scientists have tread on this relatively new land. Any adult who loves science, volcanoes and Iceland will enjoy words and photos that bring this story (and it is a story, written in a relatable, narrative style) to life.