Moralistic and factually muddled; readers might prefer to simply listen to Album for the Young.
A mouse listens as a composer brings his family a musical gift in this entry in the Little Stories of Great Composers series.
Minim, a music-loving mouse, secretly lives with Sasha and Bobik, niece and nephew, respectively, of the celebrated Russian composer Pyotr Ilyitch Tchaikovsky. Uncle Petya’s arrival means fun and presents, but the children are disappointed when Uncle Petya unveils a musical score rather than a toy. Then he sits down at the piano, and both children and Minim close their eyes to imagine Uncle Petya’s travels. As the children’s piano skills improve they come to appreciate the way their uncle’s gift has given them “much more pleasure than some ordinary toy.” Educational and with an explicit moral, this slight piece lacks conflict save for a short, thrilling moment when Minim is chased by the children’s mother. Rich textures and brocadelike patterns evoke a sumptuous house and grand clothes. All human characters present White. Colm Feore’s crisp narration adds warmth to the audio version, which includes a few snippets of Tchaikovsky’s music and is available on an accompanying CD and as a downloadable MP3 file. Backmatter consists of information about Tchaikovsky and his Album for the Young, which was dedicated to his nephew; it fails to mention that a few years later Tchaikovsky would write love letters to Bobik. It is also unclear if Sasha is a fictional character or perhaps a mashup of the composer’s sister and niece.
Moralistic and factually muddled; readers might prefer to simply listen to Album for the Young. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-2-924774-83-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: The Secret Mountain
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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