Game on for girls with big goals.
Lucía has no interest in playing dolls the way her sisters do; she dreams of soccer.
In her small town, girls aren’t encouraged to play, so Lucía cuts her hair short, dresses like a boy, and joins neighborhood games, imagining herself as her favorite stars while racking up goal after goal. When money grows tight and her family moves in with her tío, Lucía is forced to put her dreams of soccer on hold. Years later, while working after school to help support her family, she spots a flier for a professional women’s league. She makes the team despite a worn-out kit, though she starts on the bench as a substitute. When a spot opens up, Lucía seizes her chance—“GOOOOOOL!”—and helps carry her team to the championship. Along the way, she confronts gender discrimination and unequal pay; we see her continuing to push for equity even if the details of that advocacy remain unexplored. Quezada Padron’s bilingual text is clearly presented in contrasting colors or on opposite pages. Forshay’s bright, energetic illustrations feel somewhat flat but still capture the motion and excitement of the game through bold colors, expressive, friendly characters, and dynamic action poses. Soccer fans will cheer Lucía’s rise, though they’ll need to look elsewhere for discussions of feminist sports activism more generally. Lucía is Latine with brown skin and hair; her teammates vary in skin tone.
Game on for girls with big goals. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2026
ISBN: 9781643796819
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2026
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.”
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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