Pocket Bios--Charlie Chaplin

September 1, 2018
Grades K-3 These petite biographies in the Pocket Bios series, first published in France, have a quirky, international feel. Each two-page spread consists of a short paragraph or two of text, surrounded by plenty of white space, and a page of cartoonish illustration. The choice of figures to profile is eclectic, spanning varied historical eras and areas of fame or achievement. Each life story is told clearly and chronologically, with an abundance of exclamation marks. Dates covered are noted in color at the bottom of each page. The text is generally informative but awkwardly written (or perhaps translated) at times. In Charlie Chaplin, the author highlights individual films but does not provide enough historical context to show how the movies used humor to respond to concerns of the day. Back matter features a time line, map, and Did you know? facts. Readers will enjoy the dramatic, storybook feel of these books as they become acquainted with their fascinating subjects.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)