A must-have for any biography section.
Empowerment. Goal-setting. Positivity. Oh yeah, and sports too.
Killion has distilled the best of the best moments and biographical information into an easy-to-read and exciting look at the players and moments in women’s soccer. Inspirational quotes from the players start each chapter, and it’s not difficult to imagine readers taking them to heart. The book goes beyond the basic statistics of the players (presented at the end of each chapter for easy reference) to introduce readers to their stories, both highs and lows. Although the tone of the book is positive, it does not shy away from the darker moments in players’ lives. Abby Wambach’s substance-abuse issues, Brandi Chastain’s family losses, and Bri Scurry’s brain injuries are examples of the realism injected into story and are openly acknowledged and discussed. The final quarter of the book examines the history of women’s soccer and serves as the perfect hook to pull readers into watching a few games. Young readers will love this action-packed, uplifting look at the women of the National Women’s Soccer League and the moments that turned the league into the nation’s obsession so much they will leave this book dog-eared from repeated readings. Sports fans will be overjoyed, but the superhero-comics crowd might also be pleasantly surprised by these modern-day wonder women.
A must-have for any biography section. (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-399-54901-4
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Finally, an astro-memoir for kids that really gets down to the nitty-gritty.
A former space shuttle pilot and International Space Station commander recalls in unusually exacting detail what it’s like to be an astronaut.
In the same vein as his more expansive adult title How To Astronaut (2020), Virts describes and reflects on his experiences with frank and photographic precision—from riding the infamous “Vomit Comet” to what astronauts wear, eat, and get paid. He also writes vividly about what Earth looks like from near orbit: the different colors of deserts, for instance, and storms that “are so powerful that the flashes from the lightning illuminate the inside of the space station.” With an eye to younger audiences with stars in their eyes, he describes space programs of the past and near future in clear, simple language and embeds pep talks about the importance of getting a good education and ignoring nay-sayers. For readers eager to start their training early, he also tucks in the occasional preparatory “Astronaut Activity,” such as taking some (unused) household item apart…and then putting it back together. Lozano supplements the small color photos of our planet from space and astronauts at work with helpful labeled images, including two types of spacesuits and a space shuttle, as well as cartoon spot art depicting diverse figures.
Finally, an astro-memoir for kids that really gets down to the nitty-gritty. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 9-11)Pub Date: April 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781523514564
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Workman
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
Readers come away wishing for more of the children’s voices and less of Brown’s.
Twenty-one years after Children of the Midnight Sun, Brown and Corral reteam for a follow-up.
Before one gets to read the stories of the Alaska Native children highlighted in this book, the introduction makes the case that Alaska Native kids are “just like any other kid,” as if to normalize Indigenous children for the evidently non-Native audience that the book seems to imagine. Author Brown and photographer Corral trek across Alaska to a sample selection of children from 10 Indigenous cultures of Alaska. Each chapter looks at the life of one child as representative of their culture. The stories tell of the day-to-day activities of each child, how they engage with their families, their traditional culture, and their aspirations. The overview is in Brown’s voice, and interspersed within that narrative are snippets of quotes from the children. Photographs highlight the children with their family members, engaged in sports, having fun outdoors, or dressed in traditional clothing. Though the book attempts to celebrate these children and their respective cultures, the depictions at times feel objectified, seen through an ethnographic lens. Mention of the harsh colonial impact on their cultures is minimized; for example, readers learn that the missionary William Duncan established a rigidly evangelical Christian community on a Tlingit-populated island with a group of Tsimshian but not that he profited from their labor.
Readers come away wishing for more of the children’s voices and less of Brown’s. (glossary) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: April 9, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5132-6197-3
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Alaska Northwest Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 28, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
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