Picture-book biographer Nancy Churnin, whose previous contributions to the form include such titles as The William Hoy Story: How a Deaf Baseball Player Changed the Game and The Queen and the First Christmas Tree: Queen Charlotte's Gift to England, turns to the story of author, academic and poet Katharine Lee Bates in this moving work. Born in 1859 in Falmouth, Massachusetts, at a time when women did not commonly receive higher education, Bates was in the second graduating class of Wellesley College, and became an English professor, published poet and novelist, social reformer, and author of the first textbook of American literature written by a woman. In 1893, on a trip west, she looked out at the view from the top of Pike's Peak, in the Rocky Mountains, and she composed a poem whose words would eventually become America the Beautiful, one of the most beloved songs in American history...

Although I have known and loved the song American the Beautiful since I was a child, and although I knew the basic story of its composition, I nevertheless found For Spacious Skies: Katharine Lee Bates and the Inspiration for "America the Beautiful" both informative and moving. Perhaps this latter is because I have become more keenly conscious, in recent years, of the dangers of regional prejudice and division within America, and the harm that this is doing to us. I was moved almost to tears, reading that one of the inspirations for Bates' poem, which came to her while watching a sea of prairie grass pass by in Kansas, and being reminded of the Atlantic ocean waves of her home in Massachusetts, was that the diverse peoples of America had more in common with one another than it might first appear to the onlooker. A celebration of the physical beauty of our country, and of the moral beauty of its vision of freedom and equality, however imperfectly realized, this is a song that is needed now more than ever, when so many seem to have lost faith in the nation. It is a song of unity and celebration, but it is also a prayer for uplift and improvement, a plea that our endeavors be aimed at the highest and noblest ideals.

Churnin's narrative here is engaging, involving, and perfectly captures the intellectual and emotional significance of Bates' best-known literary creation. The accompanying artwork of Olga Baumert, an expatriate Polish illustrator now living in the UK, is beautifully matched to the text, with a folk-art sensibility that I greatly enjoyed. With its outstanding text, beautiful artwork, and deeply moving subject, this was a rare five-star title for me. I recommend it to young admirers of the song, and to picture-book readers who enjoy biography. It would pair very nicely with a picture-book presentation of the song itself - perhaps the one illustrated by Wendell Minor, or the one done by Bates' own great-great-grand nephew, Chris Gall. ( )

I usually don't judge a book by its cover, but I'm not going to lie. When I saw the gorgeous cover for Nancy Churnin's children's book For Spacious Skies, I fell in love with the cover and knew I had to read the book. I'm really glad I did because everything about it was fantastic, and I even learned a few things I had never known about the song America the Beautiful and its creator, Katharine Lee Bates.

For Spacious Skies tells the condensed biography of Katharine Lee Bates, the creator of the song America the Beautiful although when it was written, it was originally a poem. Katharine Lee Bates comes across as a fantastic person. She lived in a time when men were seen as being far superior than women, but she didn't let that stop her from getting an education and being a voice for those that felt they had no voice.

I admit that I didn't know the history behind America the Beautiful, so this book was the perfect starting point. I think my favorite fact in the book was that Katharine Lee Bates never wanted or accepted any payment for penning America the Beautiful. She just wanted to give something back to the country she loved so much.

This is a biography picture book for older children, and I believe that it's written in a way that speaks to children and will draw in their attention quite easily. The length is perfect, and the wording is fantastic. Everything flows perfectly. I also liked the fact that Nancy Churnin includes an author's note as well as a timeline of Katharine's life and accomplishments at the end. The author's note goes into a little more detail about Katharine's life which is great for adults, children who want to learn a bit more, or for a discussion. The timeline makes it easy to picture events as they happened.

The illustrations in For Spacious Skies are absolutely breathtaking! Olga Baumert is the illustrator, and her talent shines through in every page. Each illustration is full of detail and really helps to drive the story. Although my 5 year old was a little young for this book, he did love the illustrations in it and even asked if we could just look at the pictures as they are quite colorful and really draw you in. Seriously, I could go on and on about amazing the illustrations are, but it's better if you just pick up a copy of the book yourself to see what I'm talking about.

Overall, I feel that For Spacious Skies is the ultimate girl power book. Katharine Lee Bates was obviously a force to be reckoned with according to this book. If you're looking for a book with a strong female and beautiful illustrations, pick up a copy of For Spacious Skies. I would definitely recommend For Spacious Skies by Nancy Churnin to adults and children aged 8 and older. I feel as if this book needs to be required reading in all elementary schools and should be in every school library. That's how good and informative it is. Grab a copy, and see for yourself!
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(A special thank you to Edelweiss for an eBook copy of For Spacious Skies and to Nancy Churnin and Lone Star Literary Life for a hardback copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.) ( )