Though the work falls apart as a cohesive collection, individual stories and the themes of bicultural identity and the bonds...
Through short stories and personal vignettes, Sacre introduces readers to his family, several traditional folk tales and his own success as a professional storyteller.
The standout stories of the collection feature strong characters from the author’s family, particularly the extended family on his Cuban side. They are over-the-top, as funny as they are touching. These stories convey the importance of bilingualism and biculturalism and should appeal to young readers. However, the tone of the whole collection feels disjointed, and the intended audience is unclear. Would readers who are compelled by the silly origin story of the author’s nickname on his first day of school be as engaged by the politics of dual-language education or by the poignant account of the evolution of the author’s relationship with his father as an adult? In some stories, the magic of spoken language is lost somewhere in the transition to the written word. For example, in “Lake View High School,” the vernacular that the author employs when describing how he presented the plot of Antigone to a group of urban high school students may soar when told aloud but is cringe-worthy to read from text.
Though the work falls apart as a cohesive collection, individual stories and the themes of bicultural identity and the bonds of family shine through. (Nonfiction. 8-13)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2013
ISBN: 978-1-938301-56-8
Page Count: 161
Publisher: Familius
Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The fantasy world we build around professional athletes took a serious hit when this NBA superstar announced his HIV infection and retirement. Here, a simply phrased account of Johnson's record-breaking basketball career is sandwiched between an analysis of the announcement's immediate effects and a look at his other career as a successful businessman. This is timely but superficial: the ``If I can get it, anyone can'' message is delivered, but readers will not learn much more about AIDS or the AIDS crisis, nor are they directed to other books or organizations that might help. Marginally useful for assignments; better efforts are probably in the pipeline. B&w photos. (Biography. 11-13)
Pub Date: May 5, 1992
ISBN: 0-8225-0546-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Lerner
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 1992
An evenhanded biography of the famed dancer and choreographer, Isadora Duncan. In clear, accessible language, O'Connor traces the life of her subject from her unconventional childhood in 19th- century San Francisco through her many travels, triumphs, and tragedies in both Europe and America. Much is made of Duncan's innovations as a dancer, but a more extensive discussion on ballet dancing at the time would have been helpful to place her achievements in context. The photographs, while excellent, are too sparse and too small; they would have profited from being enlarged in both format and number. Still, a useful text about an important contributor to the rhetoric of modernism. Notes; bibliography; index. (Nonfiction. 9-12)
Pub Date: July 6, 1994
ISBN: 0-87614-807-0
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 1994
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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