A fascinating music history that is diminished in its execution.
A look at music and feminism during the 1940s.
Research reveals that African American women made strides in entering the workforce during World War II, yet they suffered both racial and gender discrimination, funneling them into menial jobs. In this story set during the Great Migration, Sieg introduces female musicians of color who seem to be exceptions to this. The titular Mama Mable is a black bandleader who gathers “girls from near and far— / the bold, the bright, the brilliant” to make music. A little white girl narrates how they come to her community and spend a night playing music that would change the lives of all the women worrying about their menfolk and taking care of business in their absence. This rhyming picture book seems to be trying to show sisterhood through music and its power to cross barriers and heal a community. However, the juxtaposition of large, black Mama Mable and the little white girl combines with Mama Mable’s role as nurturer to summon uncomfortable echoes of the stereotypical mammy figure. Furthermore, the women Sieg bases her fictional characters on played music and faced discrimination, racism, and segregation while touring, all realities that are absent from this cheery text. One inspiration was Willie Mae Wong, who played in the all-women integrated band known as the International Sweethearts of Rhythm. That was a real band that defied the segregation of their time; piecing together a fictional band inspired by different famous women from that era “to cheer up this good nation” does them and history a disservice.
A fascinating music history that is diminished in its execution. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-1808-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Make Me a World
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
As implied by the title, the Hokey Pokey takes on a decidedly amphibian tone in this sprightly, cheerful selection, which is filled to the brim with kid appeal. As the song begins, children are invited to join the frogs and follow the traditional lyrics and movements (“Put your right hand in, / Put your right hand out”) until they’ve waved said appendage all about, but then the words change: “Hop the Croaky Pokey / As we chase a fly around, / Right in the froggy’s mouth! / WHAP!” Lively, cartoonish illustrations feature animals at a pond, including a number of frogs (in a delightful variety of greens), none of whom, it turns out, is particularly skilled at catching bugs. As the song continues, hilarity ensues as the blissfully ignorant target fly remains just out of reach, despite all the frogs’ best efforts. But luck like this can’t possibly last forever—can it? Children will giggle throughout, especially at the surprise ending, and will be singing and dancing along in seconds flat. A nice choice for school and home and a good choice for reluctant readers, full of energy, humor and fun. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: March 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2291-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The snappy text will get toes tapping, but the information it carries is limited.
Dancing is one of the most universal elements of cultures the world over.
In onomatopoeic, rhyming text, Bolling encourages readers to dance in styles including folk dance, classical ballet, breakdancing, and line dancing. Read aloud, the zippy text will engage young children: “Tappity Tap / Fingers Snap,” reads the rhyme on the double-page spread for flamenco; “Jiggity-Jig / Zig-zag-zig” describes Irish step dancing. The ballet pages stereotypically include only children in dresses or tutus, but one of these dancers wears hijab. Overall, children included are racially diverse and vary in gender presentation. Diaz’s illustrations show her background in animated films; her active child dancers generally have the large-eyed sameness of cartoon characters. The endpapers, with shoes and musical instruments, could become a matching game with pages in the book. The dances depicted are described at the end, including kathak from India and kuku from Guinea, West Africa. Unfortunately, these explanations are quite rudimentary. Kathak dancers use their facial expressions extensively in addition to the “movements of their hands and their jingling feet,” as described in the book. Although today kuku is danced at all types of celebrations in several countries, it was once done after fishing, an activity acknowledged in the illustrations but not mentioned in the explanatory text.
The snappy text will get toes tapping, but the information it carries is limited. (Informational picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 3, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-63592-142-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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