The Glasses That Saved America
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Calkins Creek
(Astra Publishing)
(pub.1.21.2025)
32 pages
Ages 7 - 10
Author: Selene Castrovilla
Illustrator: Jenn Harney
Character: George Washington
Overview:
" The Revolutionary War was over, but Washington’s officers had not received their wages from the Continental Congress in years. Afraid they would never get their money, the officers planned to storm Congress and demand it right away.
Luckily, George Washington found out about the plot just in time. He delivered a passionate speech to his men, but they were unaffected.
It was only when he struggled to read aloud a letter from Congress and had to put on his glasses, that they realized how much he had sacrificed for their country along with them. The officers dropped their plan and pledged their loyalty to America and to Washington."
Tantalizing taste:
"The men didn't care how epic George's speech was ...
They wanted Congress to show them the money now...
He remembered the congressman's letter in his pocket.
Maybe he could read it without his glasses...
All he saw was fuzz, fuzz, fuzz.
There was only one thing to do.
It was so embarrassing ...
George took in a big breath and let it out.
He reached into his pocket again ...
And pulled out his glasses.
His officers' eyes bulged in disbelief.
Their commander was making a spectacle of himself!...
Seeing George's glasses made them realize how much he had sacrificed for America...
Everyone pledged their loyalty to their country and to their leader - glasses and all."
And something more: Selene Castrovilla, shared in the Author's Note: "Early on, I read about Washington putting on a pair of glasses and bringing his men back from the brink of treason. I knew that I must share this poignant moment...Draft upon draft upon draft. None worked. This story was just too much. I put it away, but I never gave up on it...I started over, without looking at my previous mired manuscript. I began with the glasses, and it just came pouring out. It took years to understand: to tell this story, I had to cut through the complexity - kill my historical darlings - to see things clearly."
Updated: Apr 20
The True Story of Pakistan's First Woman Architect
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Clarion Books
(Harper Collins)
Pub. 10.22.24
pages
Ages 4 - 8
Author: Marzieh Abbas
Illustrator: Hoda Hadadi
Character: Yasmeen Lari
Overview:
" From an inquisitive and compassionate young girl to a world-renowned and award-winning architect and humanitarian, Yasmeen Lari has an empowering and inspiring life story.
Learn about her success in a career dominated by men, her early work of advocating for and restoring historic buildings in Pakistan, and her turn to eco-friendly and sustainable design in the wake of natural disasters.
Starting in 2005, earthquakes and floods raised Lari's attention to the need for rehabilitation building. The pioneering architect met the challenge head-on. Incorporating innovative modern design and traditional building practices and materials, Lari developed a blueprint for sustainable, disaster-resistant homes."
Tantalizing taste:
"In between construction projects, Yasmeen explored old towns and villages with her husband, Suhail, a historian and photographer.
She toured.
She studied.
She noted.
She appreciated.
Her heart swelled with pride as she dug deeper into her roots."
And something more: Marzieh Abbas, shared in the Author's Note in Yasmeen Lari Green Architect: "Growing up in Karachi, Pakistan, I crossed a famous landmark, the Finance and Trade Centre, on my way to school every day. Little did I know that the building was deigned by Pakistan's first woman architect, Yasmeen Lari ... In the interviews I personally conducted with Yasmeen, and in the many that I viewed, Yasmeen was most passionate about her work for underserved communities."
- Apr 5
Updated: Apr 20
The Adventures of Cristina Zenato,
Underwater Ranger
A TRUE TALE WITH
A CHERRY ON TOP
Millbrook Press
(pub. 4.1.2025)
32 pages
Ages 5 - 10
Author: Patricia Newman
Illustrator: Becca Hall
Character: Cristina Zenato
Overview:
" As a little girl, Cristina dreamed of making friends with the sharks deep in the ocean. When she grew up, she made those dreams come true, becoming a diver, conservationist, and shark advocate. But Cristina discovered that sharks―the sleek, strong, powerful guardians of the ocean―need our help. She started diving in a protective suit and, as she built trust with sharks, they began coming to her with fishing hooks stuck in their bodies. Did she have the courage to remove the hooks?"
Tantalizing taste:
"Down,
down
she dove,
wrapped in a chain suit for protection,
carrying mackerel treats to lure them closer.
A shiver of sharks silently loomed,
some inquisitive,
some bold,
some shy.
Cristina rewarded calm behavior
and slowly,
slowly
built trust."
And something more:
The Off the Hook section in Sharks Unhooked explains: "Although
sharks are strong enough to bite through the line and swim
away, the hook remains embedded in their fins, gills, mouths,
nostrils, or throats. Many sharks carry multiple hooks.
The carbon steel hooks that fishers prefer can remain
attached to a shark for an average of two and a half years
before they rust away. Stainless steel hooks remain in sharks
for at least seven years and possibly for the life of the shark.
Hooks stuck in a shark’s fins, gills, or mouth may interfere
with feeding, and hooks embedded inside sharks cause internal
bleeding or infection.
Cristina has removed more than three hundred hooks
from Caribbean reef, nurse, and blue sharks."
And in the Note from Cristina, she shares her experience,
"My dad taught me that 'there are no monsters in the sea,
only the ones we make up in our heads.'
I made it my lifetime goal to explore sharks, to educate
myself and others better about them, and to promote their
conservation.
Thirty years later, the tides somewhat favor sharks and
I am happy to say that I obtained their complete protection
at home in the Bahamas, where I have lived and worked as
an underwater explorer. There is still more work to do, so I
won’t stop because we need sharks more than they need us."
