History Picture Books: The Soldier’s Friend, The Painter and the President, and Star and the Maestro

Three outstanding picture books introduce young readers to Walt Whitman, Gilbert Stuart, and Mozart.

The Soldier’s Friend: Walt Whitman’s Extraordinary Service in the American Civil War by Gary Bolio, illustrated by E. B. Lewis. Calkins Creek, 2024, 38 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 6-10

Walt Whitman loved America: “It was a star, shining bright in the world. Only now it seemed to be burning itself up.” War had broken out between the states, and it was beginning to look like a long bloody struggle. When Walt received word that his younger brother had been wounded, he left his mother in Brooklyn and traveled south to Virginia. There, thankfully, he found his brother recovering, but others weren’t so lucky. Though he hadn’t planned to stay, Walt remained in the field hospital doing what he could to comfort the wounded. When they were transferred to D.C. he went along, and stayed. Day by day he returned to the hospital with his worn haversack and read to the wounded, wrote letters for them, brought snacks and small gifts, and simply listened.

The Soldier’s Friend presents the tragedy of the War in a terms a young reader can understand. The narrative is simple yet poignant, with quotes from Whitman’s poetry on every page spread.  Semi-impressionistic watercolor illustrations underline his deep humanity and sympathy. I was never a Whitman fan, but after this book I have to like him.

The Painter and the President: Gilbert Stuart’s Brush with George Washington by Saral Albee, illustrated by Stacy Innerst. Calkins Creek, 2024, 40 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 4-8

Recommended for: ages 6-10

George Washington hated sitting still. Gilbert Stuart loved spending money. In spite of the former, Washington had sat for many portraits. Because of the latter, Stuart had to hustle to exploit his gifts as a painter, capturing the likeness of prominent people on both sides of the Atlantic. Fortunately he had a charming manner and regaled his subjects with jokes; they actually enjoyed sitting for him. But Washington wasn’t a jokester, and in an earlier sitting the two didn’t hit it off. But Martha prevailed on both for one more portrait after her husband’s retirement from the presidency. How could the painter help his subject relax?

Gilbert Stuart was a treasure, in my opinion; his portraits of early Americans seem to glow. Several of these illustrate the text, along with both swashes of color and collage-style cutouts. How we got the Washington image everybody knows is a fascinating story engagingly told. The dashes of humor lighten the mood but don’t diminish the main characters in this American vignette.

Star and the Maestro: How a Musical Bird Made Melodies with Mozart by Thor Hanson, illustrated by Matt Schu. Greenwillow, 2024, 38 pages.

Reading Level: Picture Book, ages 0-4

Recommended for: ages 4-8

“A long time ago in Vienna, when pedigreed pets were a passion,

The purchase of creatures with fantastic features

Was proof you were privy to fashion.”

Irresistible rhymes launch this little-known but true story of Mozart’s pet starling. Apparently the composer was strolling past a pet shop in Venice when he heard one of his own melodies being sung—by a bird. Starlings have the ability to imitate sounds, and this one seemed uncommonly talented. No one knows how the bird picked up one of Mozart’s tunes: possibly from a whistling passer-by on the street. But once he’d heard the singing starling, Mozart had to have him: “Thrilled to have found/ A companion in sound,/ To whom a fine tune could be taught.” The bird named Star, was a valued companion for the next three years—and may even have contributed a note or two to the Maestro’s compositions. When Star died, according to the author note, Mozart held a formal funeral for the bird, who may have influenced his next composition.

It’s difficult to rhyme a story without some of the rhymes sounding clunky, but none of the stanzas sounded a false note with me (see what I did there?). The illustrations are as light-hearted as the text, though Mozart is the only figure dressed appropriately for the 18th century.

Also at Redeemed Reader:

• Reflection: See Betsy’s post on Choosing Biographies.
• Resource: Our Picture-book biography booklist.
• Resource: The Real George Washington surveys a host of GW biographies.

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