School Library Journal Review
Gr 2-4-Throughout this tribute, emphasis is placed on the dedication to the principles of hope, compassion, and loyalty shared by the brothers, with selected events from each of their lives presented to illustrate how they acted on those principles. The recurring imagery appears to be the sea, a love shared by the three. While not enough information on any one man is provided for report writers, the book serves as a good introduction to this important American political dynasty. Bates's watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations are a gentle accompaniment to this often-tragic tale. The opening pages feature amusing scenes of the nine siblings' interactions and activities and become more somber as the brothers grow up. An annotated time line is included.-Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
The creators of Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight celebrate the lives of these political icons, spotlighting their personal and professional interactions and underscoring their mutual affection. Short chapters describe the brothers (including oldest sibling Joe) as children and young men: bookworm and aspiring leader John; serious, compassionate Robert; and loyal Edward, who, as the youngest, felt the weight of his brothers' expectations as a child: "With each brother putting pressure on the next, Edward got the most." Krull offers streamlined accounts of the trio's careers and, somewhat prosaically, emphasizes the importance to each of "hope, compassion, and loyalty." Rendered in watercolor, gouache, and pencil, Bates's art features lifelike depictions of the siblings and convincingly captures the emotion and drama inherent in their stories. In perhaps the most poignant picture, Robert and Edward embrace on a seaside dune after John's assassination ("And then there were two brothers"). Supplementary notes, more accessible to those on the older edge of the targeted age range, round out this admiring portrait. Ages 4-8. (Jan.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Horn Book Review
This adulatory, earnest picture book celebrates John, Robert, and Edward Kennedy. (Joe, killed during WWII, is also introduced.) Krull integrates the siblings' powerful words into her text (e.g., "Ask not what your country can do for you...") to create a moving portrait that might resonate more with adults than children. Bates's watercolor, gouache, and pencil illustrations bring the passionate political family to life. Timeline. Bib. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
Booklist Review
The first section in this flirtation with hagiography is entitled Joe, but the eldest frère Kennedy gets only a short mention before the chapters move on to the younger Kennedy brothers, following a similar format to the team's Hillary Rodham Clinton: Dreams Taking Flight (2008). Focusing on John, Robert, and Edward, the book describes the Kennedys' early family life and highlights a pivotal event for each featured sibling. The tragic arc shows how each brother grew up and attained political success before two died, leaving behind a legacy of influence and determination. The stylized artwork, rendered in pencil, watercolor, and gouache, sometimes borders on the melodramatic, particularly in scenes of RFK and EMK weeping on a beach after Dallas and of an unwell EMK watching Obama speak. Still, the likenesses are strong, and the images set a historic tone. A family tree would have been useful, but the back matter includes supplemental notes related to specific spreads and will widen the curricular appeal of this collective biography.--Medlar, Andrew Copyright 2010 Booklist