An enjoyable and fast-paced read for not only star-dreamers, but also the star-stuck.
Broadway lights beckoned bright for a boy from Iowa who leapt into the title role of the long-running Billy Elliot.
In his own words, Ko recounts his longtime love of gymnastics and dance. With the support of a loving family, he was able to take part in gymnastics competitions and study ballet. The death of his father was a terrible blow, but Ko used prayer to overcome his sorrow and choreographed a solo dance to honor him. Despite financial difficulties, he found his way to Broadway, where, at 13, he became the first replacement within the original trio of Billys a year into the run. He shared the role with two other boys; it was a difficult one, requiring ballet, singing and acting. The journey was grueling, filled with hours of practice and classes and marked by a serious injury. Readers will gain an insider’s knowledge of a Broadway production and share in the great thrill of Ko’s first Broadway performance. His winning personality, drive and strong faith come through on every page. Kudos to his mother for managing the fine line between good mother and stage mother. Alex is currently studying ballet in New York City with an eye on more star turns in the future. Black-and-white photographs (not seen) illustrate the text.
An enjoyable and fast-paced read for not only star-dreamers, but also the star-stuck. (Memoir. 9-14)Pub Date: May 1, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-06-223601-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2013
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats.
Why should grown-ups get all the historical, scientific, athletic, cinematic, and artistic glory?
Choosing exemplars from both past and present, Mitchell includes but goes well beyond Alexander the Great, Anne Frank, and like usual suspects to introduce a host of lesser-known luminaries. These include Shapur II, who was formally crowned king of Persia before he was born, Indian dancer/professional architect Sheila Sri Prakash, transgender spokesperson Jazz Jennings, inventor Param Jaggi, and an international host of other teen or preteen activists and prodigies. The individual portraits range from one paragraph to several pages in length, and they are interspersed with group tributes to, for instance, the Nazi-resisting “Swingkinder,” the striking New York City newsboys, and the marchers of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade. Mitchell even offers would-be villains a role model in Elagabalus, “boy emperor of Rome,” though she notes that he, at least, came to an awful end: “Then, then! They dumped his remains in the Tiber River, to be nommed by fish for all eternity.” The entries are arranged in no evident order, and though the backmatter includes multiple booklists, a personality quiz, a glossary, and even a quick Braille primer (with Braille jokes to decode), there is no index. Still, for readers whose fires need lighting, there’s motivational kindling on nearly every page.
A breezy, bustling bucketful of courageous acts and eye-popping feats. (finished illustrations not seen) (Collective biography. 10-13)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-14-751813-2
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Puffin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 10, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2015
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself.
Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir.
Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they’re moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree—who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports—drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn’t think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade—even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression—while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it’s therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don’t value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo’s combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black.
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306469-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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