A ValueTales Treasury

Gr 2—4—This collection of stories profiles Louis Pasteur, Harriet Tubman, Confucius, Helen Keller, and Will Roger to highlight the values of "Believing in yourself," "Helping," "Honesty," "Determination," and "Humor." The author explains that "Like a biography, an Imaginography is about real people and events but it is told in a more fun and imaginative way." Each selection is followed by a page that fleshes out the historical facts and suggests finding more information at a local library, at the Library of Congress website, or at a website specific to that individual, with URLs provided. The mission of the book is laudable, the large and colorful format is attractive, and the illustrations are skilled if cloyingly cute. However, the text is incredibly condescending, the writing is only fair, and the device of a personified "True Voice" is confusing (each person's inner voice is depicted as a bee, a star, or some other Jiminy Cricket stand-in). Adults may approve of this earnest and preachy volume, but it seems unlikely that children will take its messages to heart.—Heidi Estrin, Feldman Children's Library at Congregation B'nai Israel, Boca Raton, FL