by Amy Nathan ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2006
Nathan worked hard at making this compendium as lively and as compelling as possible. Fifteen current members of the New York Philharmonic each get a chapter, beginning with a childhood photograph, a list of fan-magazine facts—pets as a child, age when they began studying their instrument, where they grew up—with other sidebars highlighting the pros and cons of their instrument, practice tips and what to look for at live concerts. There’s nothing dry or rote about this at all, and the narrative truly engages readers. Some of these musicians were gifted almost from birth; others discovered their talent and interest relatively late. Some came from several generations of musicians; others bemused their families (and sometimes themselves) with their passion. Each loves their own instrument best: cellos, violins, percussion, piano, wind instruments. They are male and female, of various ethnicities, and Nathan makes each and every one stand out as unique, even delightful, individuals. An excellent introduction to the real lives of those who play classical music. (glossary, resources, acknowledgments, index) (Collective biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: March 1, 2006
ISBN: 0-8050-7743-X
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2006
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by Sharon Langley & Amy Nathan ; illustrated by Floyd Cooper
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by Amy Nathan
by Wesley King ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 23, 2022
Slick sleuthing punctuated by action on the boards and insights into differences that matter—and those that don’t.
Brothers, one neurodivergent, team up to shoot baskets and find a thief.
With the coach spit-bellowing at him to play better or get out, basketball tryouts are such a disaster for 11-year-old Green that he pelts out of the gym—becoming the chief suspect to everyone except his fiercely protective older brother, Cedar, when a valuable ring vanishes from the coach’s office. Used to being misunderstood, Green is less affected by the assumption of his guilt than Cedar, whose violent reactions risk his suspension. Switching narrative duties in alternating first-person chapters, the brothers join forces to search for clues to the real thief—amassing notes, eliminating possibilities (only with reluctance does Green discard Ringwraiths from his exhaustive list of possible perps), and, on the way to an ingenious denouement, discovering several schoolmates and grown-ups who, like Cedar, see Green as his own unique self, not just another “special needs” kid. In an author’s note, King writes that he based his title characters on family members, adding an element of conviction to his portrayals of Green as a smart, unathletic tween with a wry sense of humor and of Cedar’s attachment to him as founded in real affection, not just duty. Ultimately, the author finds positive qualities to accentuate in most of the rest of the cast too, ending on a tide of apologies and fence-mendings. Cedar and Green default to White.
Slick sleuthing punctuated by action on the boards and insights into differences that matter—and those that don’t. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66590-261-8
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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developed by Kobe Bryant ; by Wesley King
by Iva-Marie Palmer ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 9, 2017
Hilarious and joyful.
Twelve-year-old Gabby is a golden child, and nothing can go wrong, until it does.
Gabby, the star pitcher for Luther Junior High, is about to complete her second no-hitter of the season when the game is suspended, everyone is evacuated, and the school is closed because of an asbestos situation. The young Latina is assigned to Piper Bell Academy for the duration, a very upscale private school. She creates a playbook, definitely not a mere diary, to state her goals and strategies for maintaining her status in her new school. She assumes that she will be begged to join the baseball team and achieve further greatness, all in spite of gentle warnings from her parents and best friend. But her plans go immediately, painfully awry and must be listed as losses in her book. Feeling completely vanquished, she quits baseball and joins the marvelously inept field hockey team. A bit of humble pie and determination to do the right thing brings about a satisfying conclusion. Middle-grade readers will identify with Gabby’s preteen angst, laugh at her mostly self-inflicted struggles, and cheer for her success. The playbook format, heavily illustrated with doodles and delightful action sketches, also serves the purpose of describing the characters’ physical appearances, including skin color and ethnicity, which are implied by naming conventions but never stated in the text.
Hilarious and joyful. (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-239180-3
Page Count: 304
Publisher: Katherine Tegen/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
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