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From Booklist

May 15, 2018
Grades K-2 Inventive artwork that uses a mix of shapes and shadow draws children into the story of the immigrant boy whose music captured the soul of America. The first spread shows an array of notes streaming from Berlin's mouth as he passes the Statue of Liberty, and throughout the book, the focus is on Berlin's immigrant roots and the love he feels for his new country, which helps him win such success. Although the text is factual, Churnin does take occasional liberties, as in an early scene where the child Berlin promises himself he's going to write a song for the Statue of Liberty. The evocative prose brings readers close to tenement life, describing it with sounds like the steady treadle of the sewing machine and the thump of his mother kneading dough. Details of Berlin's adult life will be found, for the most part, in the author's note and time line. The last couple of pages capsulize his career and talk about the effect of God Bless America on the country. An inviting look at a timeless life.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)

From School Library Journal

April 1, 2018

Gr 2-5-In this picture book biography for older readers, Churnin describes the early life of Irving Berlin, a Russian immigrant who became famous for writing such songs as "White Christmas" and "God Bless America," the latter being a focal point of the story. From his arrival in New York City, through times of homelessness and singing on street corners, Berlin's life is retold with rich and descriptive language. Chernin includes interesting details such as Berlin drawing musical inspiration from the Shema Yisrael. Oddly, the subject is never explicitly described as Jewish. Words such as shtetl and cantor are used, but not defined, and no context is given for the family's departure of their homeland. Churnin includes a thorough author's note and time line, describing the remainder of Berlin's life, though includes no bibliography. Sanchez's lively, stylized illustrations fill each spread. The pages could easily be stills from a digitally animated movie. Berlin and his family have exaggerated features and appear caricaturelike, but this is done tastefully. Light and dark are well balanced, with pops of intense color-particularly Berlin's long red scarf that weaves through each page. Sanchez captures the immigrant experience visually, from the joyful faces seeing the New York cityscape for the first time to a young Berlin splashing in a washtub in a crowded tenement. VERDICT A thorough and engaging look at Berlin's early life featuring unique illustrations and a few minor flaws. Purchase for medium to large children's biography collections.-Clara Hendricks, Cambridge Public Library, MA

Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

March 15, 2018
A Jewish immigrant from Russia gives America some of its most iconic and beloved songs.When Israel Baline was just 5 years old, his family fled pogroms in the Russian Empire and landed in New York City's Lower East Side community. In the 1890s the neighborhood was filled with the sights, smells, and, most of all, sounds of a very crowded but vibrant community of poor Europeans who sailed past the Statue of Liberty in New York's harbor to make a new life. Israel, who later became Irving Berlin, was eager to capture those sounds in music. He had no formal musical training but succeeded grandly by melding the rich cantorial music of his father with the spirit of America. Churnin's text focuses on Berlin's early years and how his mother's words were an inspiration for "God Bless America." She does not actually refer to Berlin as Jewish until her author's note. Sanchez's digital illustrations busily fill the mostly dark-hued pages with angular faces and the recurring motif of a very long swirling red scarf, worn by Berlin throughout. Librarians should note that the CIP information and the timeline are on pages pasted to the inside covers.A book to share that celebrates an immigrant and his abiding love for his adopted country, its holidays, and his "home sweet home." (author's note, timeline) (Picture book/biography. 6-9)

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