Genuine affection and exasperation vie for attention in this thoughtful exploration of big ideas on a small scale.
A favorite sister duo returns for a third outing.
With a bond that could rival that of Beezus and Ramona, second grader Stella and preschooler Marigold grapple with ideas of children long gone and children yet to come. When Marigold discovers a scrawled message in green marker on the wall (“I drew on the wall HA HA”), Stella tells her it was probably written by a kid who lived here years ago. Marigold is shocked (“Someone lived here before?”), and Stella whips up the tale of a girl named Ziamara. Marigold is enthralled by these conjured stories of Ziamara, who (she is convinced) probably got to live out Marigold’s dream of going onto the roof of their house. Stella, when she’s not trying to find time travel portals in her home, realizes that long after they are gone there will be future children in this place. Bite-size adventures, involving everything from cuts and scrapes to the rescue of a beloved coloring book, flesh out these tales. Barrows is a gifted writer; one of her true talents is her acknowledgment of how great familial love is bound tightly to bone-deep annoyance. After all, even the most loving family members can get on one another’s nerves. Blackall, meanwhile, brings real and imagined escapades to life, and clearly has a ball depicting imagined wild child Ziamara. The lead characters are pale-skinned.
Genuine affection and exasperation vie for attention in this thoughtful exploration of big ideas on a small scale. (Early chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2026
ISBN: 9781797219721
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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