10 at 10

As a mom and a teacher, I always look for books that contain good role models, themes, and life lessons. I found that in the book 10 at 10. What I loved about this book was that it not only provided information about individuals that children may already know from school, but it also let them look into their childhoods. If I was a ten year old, I would love to know more about Bruce Lee at ten and how he became the person he is today. Knowing about these individuals at kids make them more relatable to our children and help them make connections to what those individuals endured. What I also loved was that the ten individuals chosen for the book represent a diverse group of cultures, professions, and life experiences. The illustrations in this book were beautiful and while I sometimes find children's nonfiction visually overwhelming to look at, the layout of this book did not distract from the reader.

I will look for this book in bookstores on April 5, 2022. Thank you NetGalley for my advanced copy!

10 at 10 is a collection of short biographies focusing on some accomplished historical figures and what they were doing at the age of 10. The goal of the book is to show that the potential of these famous people was not yet obvious at 10, so kids shouldn't worry about their future. This is a great age to have tailored this book towards as most 10-year-olds will be transitioning from elementary to middle school in the near future and are experiencing a lot of anxiety and uncertainty about their future.

Pros: The cover of this book immediately caught my eye on NetGalley. I was encouraged by the illustrations that this book would feature a diverse group of subjects. When I read children’s books, I study the illustrations to see if any child reading the book could see himself/herself/themself in the illustrations, and I think this book is very inclusive. Not only were the people diverse, their areas of fame were diverse, including scientists, athletes, and artists. I also loved that this book focused on the childhoods of these incredible subjects (who were not child prodigies!) before they became famous in their fields because it might inspire children reading the books to try new things, have big dreams, and practice perseverance. For the same reason, one of my favorite aspects of this book was the use of timelines to show when big events happened in the subjects’ lives.

I am often drawn to children’s nonfiction books because I think adults can learn from these books just as much as children can, and they always inspire me to perform my own research. I had not heard of Zitkala-Sa, Eugenie Clark, and Raven Wilkinson before reading this book and loved learning their stories. I also learned new things about historical figures I thought I knew a lot about, including Frida Kahlo and Audrey Hepburn.

Cons: The only con I can think of is that 10 was not enough! I hope to see this book become the first in a series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lerner Publishing Group, Carolrhoda Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Easy-to approach mini biographies of 10 famous personalities from recent history provide inspiration for budding tweens in this colorful compilation. Images draw the reader in without seeming to elementary. Glossary at the end of the book helps explain new terms in simple language. Source notes and selected bibliography at the back of the book provide further reading for families. A great non-fiction addition to any child's personal library or reading list.

ARC from Netgalley; all opinions are my own.

I LOVED how succinct yet engaging this book was! I remember wondering about the childhoods of Great People when I was little, and how a kid can grow up to become Great herself... this book showcases the childhoods of 10 diverse people and how they tried, failed, made mistakes, tried again, and succeeded. I recommend this to kiddos and adults alike.

Notable, famous, adults were once young children, with nary a thought to such greatness. Carlyn Beccia has done an extraordinary job in the portrayal of ten of these famous individuals. Roberto Clemente, Raven Wilkinson, Bruce Lee, Audrey Hepburn, Zitkála-Šá, Albert Einstein, Andre the Great, Louis Armstrong, Eugenie Clark, and Frida Kahlo. Overcoming circumstances and great obstacles, they all grew up to be who they were ultimately meant to be.

I may not be ten years old (actually, I’m way older than that), but I absolutely loved this book. I learned a lot and gained a greater appreciation for what makes a person’s character and how their life may affect others. I definitely recommend this book for anyone, ten years old or not. It would be a great addition to any library or child’s bookshelf. Thank you, Net Galley, for the opportunity to read 10 at 10.

This was so cute and so well researched! As an adult, I loved reading and learning so much about these figures. I liked the illustrations and that there was a timeline that highlighted important events in each person's life. I also enjoyed that there was a mix of well-known figures and lesser-known (at least to me) because I had a chance to learn about new people. And for the people I already knew, I still had the chance to learn about these figures' pasts.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

10 at 10 by Carlyn Beccia is a children's picture book that reveals what different famous people were like at the age of ten. The book contains full-color illustrations that are followed by 1-2 pages of informational text. According to the description, "Carlyn Beccia presents ten brief and beautifully illustrated biographies to give young readers a fresh look at the lives of people they may only know through history books."

Overall, 10 at 10 is an interesting look into the childhoods and lives of ten of history's most famous people. One highlight of this book are the full-color illustrations. I can imagine this book being used in 5th-6th grade classrooms everywhere. Although this is a picture book, I would say that the text level is appropriate for those grade levels. If you're intrigued by the description, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in April!