When Mar°a Isabel Salazar L¢pez's family moves, there are already two Mar°as in her new class, so the teacher decides to call her Mary L¢pez. Since she doesn't readily recognize this new name, Mar°a Isabel is continually scolded for being inattentive; worse, her pride in being named for her grandmothers is dishonored. Mar°a Isabel's reluctance to assert her wish to be called by her full name involves her in an apparent web of deception when she doesn't get a part in a pageant (she doesn't recognize her name when the teacher is assigning roles) but lets her parents believe she'll participate. Fortunately, an essay assignment provides a solution: she finds the courage to write that her ``greatest wish is to be called Mar°a Isabel Salazar L¢pez,'' clearly explaining her reasons; and her teacher responds generously to her plea. Cuban author Ada (The Gold Coin, 1991) captures the authentic flavor of Latino culture in this warm, yet never sentimental, story: an entire family genealogy is encapsulated in a Latino name, as well as special connections between its bearer and the relatives for whom she was named. Presented in realistic terms, Mar°a Isabel's struggles will ring true to many children in the US. Pair this with Barbara Cohen's Molly's Pilgrim (1983) for a fine multicultural comparison. (Fiction. 7-10)
Pub Date: April 30, 1993
ISBN: 0-689-31517-1
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
First-grader Bo Dibbs expects fame and fortune when he enters the family dog in the ``Woofies Dog Food'' contest. Dolby, as Bo explains to his class, is a natural winner: he's exceptionally intelligent and has a great woof. Emulating his determined older brother (see Oliver Dibbs to the Rescue!, 1985, etc.), Bo spends weeks training the huge, good-natured Dolby, whose talent reaches troublesome new heights when he learns to answer the telephone. The result is light, episodic fare with minimal characterization, somewhat stereotypical views on older sisters, and a nicely unexpected conclusion. (Fiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: April 24, 1991
ISBN: 0-688-08435-4
Page Count: 117
Publisher: Morrow/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 1991
All of Elmsville is excited to hear that Mr. Duncan and his family are off to N.Y.C. to visit the great Serena Katz—but is she who they think she is? The postmistress remembers her as ``the Katz Meow,'' the West Side's best pool-player; a neighbor as a show-stopping magician; another as the creator of fabulous wedding cakes; and yet another as ``Krazy Katz,'' motorcycle racer. Mr. Duncan knows only that she runs a hardware store and buys his paint. Alley, whose watercolors are, as usual, lively and well-crafted, does a wonderful job of building anticipation, depicting everyone's memories but showing only a glimpse of Serena Katz's hand or foot in each scene. When at last the Duncans reach her door, they find a pleasant little old lady in sneakers who briskly sends them on a whirlwind tour of the city. Are the stories about her true? Oh, yes, and more besides. Has she left all that behind? Not likely: the spirit of adventure is ageless. A treat for readers who find Miss Rumphius a bit too genteel. (Picture book. 7-9)
Pub Date: March 31, 1992
ISBN: 0-02-744901-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 1992
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