An uplifting reminder to jeté toward your dreams.
A profile of the late Michaela Mabinty DePrince, who broke barriers as a dancer of color in the predominantly white world of ballet.
Outside an orphanage in Sierra Leone, a ballet magazine floats on the wind and lands in a young girl’s hands. Michaela’s obsession with ballet and her determination to dance only grow after she is adopted and moves to the United States. With dark brown skin, dark curls, and vitiligo, Michaela faces judgment and rejection from the ballet community from the start, enduring discouraging criticism about her body type and skin color. Michaela’s warm, loving white mother is a pillar of support, helping her dye her tights and paint her pointe shoes brown to match her skin tone and instilling confidence in her daughter, even when Michaela doubts herself. As she grows into a young woman, Michaela lands coveted roles such as the Sugar Plum Fairy in The Nutcracker and Odette in Swan Lake, “twirling ribbons of hope around hearts” and serving as inspiration to other young brown girls. Swirling strokes of white evoke the dancers’ movement throughout the story, wrapping around dynamic digital illustrations of Michaela as she matures. The ballerinas who surround Michaela in childhood present white, while the final spread shows her as an adult, trailed by young ballerinas with a wide range of skin tones, hairstyles, and body types. An author’s note speaks to DePrince’s recent death and the legacy she leaves behind.
An uplifting reminder to jeté toward your dreams. (selected sources) (Picture-book biography. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9780063222465
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song.
Through the power of music, Lucimarian Tolliver is reminded of what’s important.
Lucy is one of the only children of African descent on her block—called Lucy Street—in 1930s Akron, Ohio, but all her neighbors share one commonality: poverty. Lucy’s carefree spirit is dampened when her family’s furniture is repossessed one day. She visits her grandfather, who comforts her by singing the folk standard “This Little Light of Mine.” Grandpa tells Lucy that she’s destined for greatness and that she should never stop singing, even through life’s toughest moments. Back at home, Lucy’s father scolds her for singing at the dinner table, so she quickly finishes eating and wanders outside and sings into the night. Her voice reaches her family and neighbors, who are all touched by her song. Digital illustrations evoke the time period in muted tones, featuring endearing characters with simple yet expressive features. The visual subject matter is repetitive from page to page, as are the incorporated lyrics of “This Little Light of Mine.” Based on Lucimarian Tolliver’s experiences growing up during the Depression, the text contains an epilogue but lacks backmatter detailing historical context or more information about Lucy’s life. Though the themes of optimism and the importance of family, faith, and music shine through the text, readers may be left with more questions than answers.
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song. (Picture-book biography. 5-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780063222540
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.
What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!
For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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