For Spacious Skies

February 1, 2020

Gr 1-4-Katharine Lee Bates (1859-1929) was a scholar and an author in a time when most women were not encouraged to pursue careers outside their homes. After Bates's father died at a young age, her mother raised Bates and her siblings alone. Bates graduated from Newton High School in Massachusetts and then enrolled in Wellesley College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts. She was part of the second graduating class (1880) and was honored as the class president and the class poet. From 1880 to 1925, she was an English professor at Wellesley and later became the chair of the English department. Bates was a prolific writer-she was the author of novels and textbooks, as well as poetry. Her most famous poem, "America the Beautiful," was inspired by her travels across the United States. The poem was set to music by Samuel A. Ward in 1910. The song was a strong contender for the National Anthem. Baumert's eye-catching artwork is reminiscent of the folkish aesthetic of early American paintings, which appropriately matches the narrative's historical setting. This history of "America the Beautiful" would be a very interesting story to compare to the making of the "Star-Spangled Banner." VERDICT This picture book biography about a strong, smart woman and her contribution to American culture is a strong choice for elementary libraries.-Debbie Tanner, S D Spady Montessori Elementary, FL

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 1, 2020
The story behind one of America's iconic songs. Katharine Lee Bates grew up in Falmouth, Massachusetts, during the Civil War, so she knew about living in a divided country and experienced the unfairness of being a girl: "The boys she knew grew up to be fishermen or studied to become doctors or lawyers or businessmen. Girls learned to mend and cook." But she went to Wellesley College, helped to start a settlement house for immigrants, spoke out for world peace and women's suffrage, and became a college professor. On a train trip across the country in 1893, she marveled at Niagara Falls, the World's Fair in Chicago, and the endless fields of wheat in Kansas, but she also was aware of the plights of workers in mines, fields, and factories during the economic depression. When she saw grand vistas from the summit of Pikes Peak, she was inspired to write the first lines of a poem expressing her vision of a united nation, a land shared by all. Nowadays, most people singing "America the Beautiful" (melody by composer Samuel A. Ward) have no idea of the political and social context behind the poem Bates wrote. Churnin tells that story in a spare and lively text beautifully complemented by double-page spreads highlighting Baumert's gorgeous panoramic illustrations. Almost all characters are white. The text of a revised version of the poem concludes the volume. A handsome volume befitting its subject. (author's note, timeline, sources, acknowledgments) (Picture book/biography. 4-8)

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February 15, 2020
Preschool-G The author of America the Beautiful, Katherine Bates grew up in the mid-1800s, when opportunities for women were limited and girls learned to mend and cook. Despite financial and societal obstacles, she pursued an education and became a social reformer, a poet, and a professor at her alma mater, Wellesley College. While traveling through Colorado, she was inspired by the view from Pikes Peak to write America the Beautiful, which was first published in 1895. Set to music in 1910, it became her gift to America. The story ends on a high note in 1920, with Bates casting her ballot after the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment, which granted voting rights to women. While terms such as suffrage, sweatshops, and economic depression may fly over the heads of the intended audience, the two clear, brief quotes from Bates are welcome additions to the narrative. The richly colored, nicely composed artwork will help children visualize the period setting while enjoying the portrayals of Bates and beautiful landscapes. A picture-book biography of a notable American.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)