A charming picture book about both a child and her obsessions and frustration, anger, and repair.
Margot is interested in only one thing: space travel.
When she regales others with her knowledge, they steer her attention to other topics (her mother), or are “unimpressed” (her teacher), or would rather play kickball (her friends, a multiracial bunch). One night, Margot wishes she never had to talk about anything but space ever again. And lo—the next morning, she can only recite Neil Armstrong’s famous speech from the 1969 moon landing, greeting her mother with “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” instead of “good morning.” Throughout the day, Margot grows increasingly frustrated, and, that night in her bedroom, she explodes. She writes her feelings on her wall—in marker. But her mother, upon seeing the scrawled-up wall, does not reprimand Margot: She reads what Margot’s written and writes: “I hear you” alongside. The pair repairs the wall—and the relationship—and creates a space for Margot to write her thoughts. “Margot wasn’t sure when exactly her voice came back,” Fitzpatrick writes. “But she was glad she had someone there to hear it.” Medina’s empathetic illustrations skillfully convey Margot’s many emotions—hurt, frustration, anger—with color, expression, and perspective. Both Margot and her mother are brown skinned; their dinner of “dahl and rice” suggests they are of South Asian heritage.
A charming picture book about both a child and her obsessions and frustration, anger, and repair. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77321-360-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind.
When Mom and Dad bring baby Rasheed home for the first time, it’s love at first sight for big brother Anthony.
As the boys grow, Anthony teaches his little sibling how to build a tower with blocks (and how to knock it down with a loud “WHOP!!!”), how to ride a bike, and even how to fly (through a well-timed leap from the swings). When thunder and lightning wake them both one night, Anthony assuages Rasheed’s fears with the book’s titular refrain: “I got you.” But one day Anthony goes for a bike ride with his friends, leaving Rasheed alone and hurt. That night, Anthony explains that while he may spend time with his peers, his bond with Rasheed is unbreakable. And as the book comes to a close, with Mom and Dad introducing the boys to their new little sibling, Anthony leaves Rasheed with perhaps the greatest lesson of all: how to be a supportive big brother himself. Narrated by Rasheed, Barnes’ text is elegant in its simplicity, loving yet never saccharine, and always emotionally honest. Using varied perspectives, Knight-Justice’s richly hued, collagelike digital illustrations combine a patchwork of textures and patterns, immersing readers in this affectionate Black family’s world. Greens and blues dominate the pages, bringing to life an idyllic suburban setting.
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780593111451
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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