A complex novella for thoughtful young readers, horse lovers, and campfire storytellers.
This Western for young readers focuses on a horse ranch in Wyoming, an unruly mustang, and a mysterious Shoshone visitor.
Curtin’s debut follows Jesse Alvarez, son of the new foreman at Big Bob Savage’s ranch in Riverton, Wyoming. Jesse’s always the new kid in town; he and his father, Mark, move from job to job, and his mother has mostly been absent since his parents’ separation. But Big Bob, the ranch’s benevolent but firm owner, seems to like them, recognizing their hard work and thorough knowledge. Unfortunately, Big Bob’s teenage son Cade hasn’t inherited his father’s kindness and has let his wealth spoil him. He’s popular and athletic but often a bully, especially to Aaron Little Elk, a Shoshone and outsider in Jesse’s class. Although Jesse appreciates Aaron’s friendship, he sometimes spends more time with friends Mike and Logan, who ride ATVs and play video games. However, when Big Bob acquires a wild mustang and offers to loan him to Jesse for the upcoming rodeo, it turns out that Aaron is the only person who can connect with the stallion. Aaron names him “Dreamcatcher”; he also makes the titular Native American items to keep away his own dreams of a past trauma. When Aaron disappears, Jesse believes it has something to do with the horse and a Shoshone stranger he’s seen around the ranch. This brief tale has many layers, tackling class differences between the Shoshone Aaron and wealthy Cade, Jesse’s parents’ difficult separation, the vicissitudes of youthful friendship, and the relationship between man and animal. The novella’s rising action deftly balances real human drama and spooky supernatural elements: “I’m not afraid of you up here, Cade,” says Aaron. “I know these woods. I know this mountain. This is Shoshone land...my land. It’s a magical place.” Despite occasional clichés (including a predictable divorce subplot), Curtin is never content with simple resolutions. The ending offers satisfying but hard truths, particularly concerning the permanence of loss.
A complex novella for thoughtful young readers, horse lovers, and campfire storytellers.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-61271-246-8
Page Count: -
Publisher: Zumaya Publications
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2015
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Essential.
A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
PROFILES
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
