Like listening to a blues record while wrapped up in a homemade quilt sipping sweet tea.
A Black child takes readers on a Mississippi blues tour in search of a four-legged friend.
Bo Willie can’t find his dog anywhere. After asking around and consulting a map, he realizes that Yellow Dog, bit by the blues bug, is heading for Beale Street in Memphis, where “he sings all day and night.” Along the way, Bo Willie stops by several sites that figure prominently in blues history, among them the Merigold Blues Club, Hicks’ Tamales, and the intersection of Highway 8 and Highway 1, one of several locations mentioned in the many legends about Robert Johnson, who is said to have sold his soul to the devil in exchange for the gift of blues music. Raschka’s illustrations, created with fabric paint and embroidery on canvas, provide layers of texture and energy that give this book a soulful, country feel. The book is genius in its simplicity; instead of offering a factual account of the blues, it invites readers to feel the music—and readers absolutely will. Duncan playfully weaves in references to the blues; her text exudes the tone of a blues song yet remains cheerfully child-friendly (“Then we drove toward Merigold / to shimmy, shake, and boogie”). The backmatter includes information on the Mississippi Delta and the sites that Bo Willie visits. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Like listening to a blues record while wrapped up in a homemade quilt sipping sweet tea. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5553-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)
Bewitched by the rhythms of jazz all around her in Depression-era Kansas City, little Melba Doretta Liston longs to make music in this fictional account of a little-known jazz great.
Picking up the trombone at 7, the little girl teaches herself to play with the support of her Grandpa John and Momma Lucille, performing on the radio at 8 and touring as a pro at just 17. Both text and illustrations make it clear that it’s not all easy for Melba; “The Best Service for WHITES ONLY” reads a sign in a hotel window as the narrative describes a bigotry-plagued tour in the South with Billie Holiday. But joy carries the day, and the story ends on a high note, with Melba “dazzling audiences and making headlines” around the world. Russell-Brown’s debut text has an innate musicality, mixing judicious use of onomatopoeia with often sonorous prose. Morrison’s sinuous, exaggerated lines are the perfect match for Melba’s story; she puts her entire body into her playing, the exaggerated arch of her back and thrust of her shoulders mirroring the curves of her instrument. In one thrilling spread, the evening gown–clad instrumentalist stands over the male musicians, her slide crossing the gutter while the back bow disappears off the page to the left. An impressive discography complements a two-page afterword and a thorough bibliography.
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60060-898-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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