For kids who may have heard the letters used in movies or on TV, learning this code alphabet could turn into a game;...
Themed alphabet books are a dime a dozen, but this distinguishes itself by illustrating the NATO phonetic alphabet, officially named the International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet.
Each letter is a one-word code universally used by those who cannot afford to be misunderstood, such as firefighters, police, and the military: Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Each letter-code is given a double-page spread. The word appears on the verso in large, painted block capitals, and the image that illustrates it is on the recto. Many of the references and depictions are adult, even antique, in connotation. “Mike” is represented by a pair of boxing gloves (presumably for Mike Tyson), and the painting for “Oscar” is a woman in a fancy ball gown (Oscar de la Renta?). A black derby hat represents “Charlie” (Chaplin, one assumes); “Victor” appears opposite a gramophone, evidently standing for Victrola. The picture for “Sierra,” an aerial view of a mountain range, is visually confusing. The images are frequently witty, and their execution is painterly and accomplished, but if the intent is to help kids learn this phonetic alphabet, the choice of items for the illustrations seems too sophisticated.
For kids who may have heard the letters used in movies or on TV, learning this code alphabet could turn into a game; otherwise this is more an art book for adults than an alphabet book for children. (Picture book. 6 & up)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7852-4
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2015
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It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel.
Sandy and his family, Japanese Canadians, experience hatred and incarceration during World War II.
Sandy Saito loves baseball, and the Vancouver Asahi ballplayers are his heroes. But when they lose in the 1941 semifinals, Sandy’s dad calls it a bad omen. Sure enough, in December 1941, Japan bombs Pearl Harbor in the U.S. The Canadian government begins to ban Japanese people from certain areas, moving them to “dormitories” and setting a curfew. Sandy wants to spend time with his father, but as a doctor, his dad is busy, often sneaking out past curfew to work. One night Papa is taken to “where he [is] needed most,” and the family is forced into an internment camp. Life at the camp isn’t easy, and even with some of the Asahi players playing ball there, it just isn’t the same. Trying to understand and find joy again, Sandy struggles with his new reality and relationship with his father. Based on the true experiences of Japanese Canadians and the Vancouver Asahi team, this graphic novel is a glimpse of how their lives were affected by WWII. The end is a bit abrupt, but it’s still an inspiring and sweet look at how baseball helped them through hardship. The illustrations are all in a sepia tone, giving it an antique look and conveying the emotions and struggles. None of the illustrations of their experiences are overly graphic, making it a good introduction to this upsetting topic for middle-grade readers.
An emotional, much-needed historical graphic novel. (afterword, further resources) (Graphic historical fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0334-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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