by Bernice Morgan ; illustrated by Brita Granström ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 1, 2018
Not for everyone—but a potential delight for the old at heart.
The author recalls her bucolic childhood in St. John’s, Newfoundland, before World War II.
As the title suggests, Morgan organizes her first-person, past-tense narration seasonally, beginning in spring, when kids, “released from winter’s bulky snow-pants and gaiters,” played in empty fields. Children “learned everything about the known world” at “the supper table,” where the author’s father “worried constantly about money.” During summer, kids explored hilly streets, visited neighborhood shops with “marvellous things to smell and look at,” and watched local craftsmen at work. In her father’s carpentry shop, Morgan piled curly shavings on her head, pretending to be Shirley Temple. She warily started kindergarten in fall, disappointed to discover she was the only child wearing glasses and wasn’t the “smartest or prettiest.” Winter brought kids indoors to amuse themselves or listen to stories around the woodstove. The family’s annual trip downtown to view Christmas toys provided the seasonal highlight. Nostalgic prose lovingly describes a simpler, safer time, when Newfoundland was an independent country and before World War II and Canadian provincial status in 1949 changed everything. Colorful, impressionistic, whimsical pencil and watercolor illustrations vividly capture the childlike wonder and bygone atmosphere of a world “about to vanish.” St. John’s is represented as an all-white community. There is no real plot to hold these dense descriptions together, which may prove off-putting to younger readers.
Not for everyone—but a potential delight for the old at heart. (author’s note) (Picture book/memoir. 10-adult)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-927917-18-3
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2018
Share your opinion of this book
by P. James Oliver ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2013
A thoughtful, engaging history for intermediate students interested in Africa.
Awards & Accolades
Our Verdict
GET IT
Google Rating
Oliver’s debut, about one of West Africa’s most powerful and charismatic leaders, delivers a vibrant mix of history and historical fiction for young adults.
The book introduces the medieval empire of Mali with several short narrative essays on trans-Atlantic exploration, trade and mining and soon narrows its focus to the compelling life story of the emperor Mansa Musa, who ruled Mali in the early 1300s. Oliver shows how Musa gained influence while making a lavish, politically important trip to Mecca, and his deft explanation of how Musa crossed the vast Sahara Desert briefly but skillfully conveys the difficulty of the lengthy voyage. This enjoyable work smoothly blends historical text with memorable anecdotes from primary and secondary sources, photos and sketches of replicas of ancient and medieval African art, and well-drawn maps. The book moves at a fast pace, and the author’s clear, straightforward style is likely to appeal to young adults. He easily switches between topics, discussing history (how Musa gained recognition in Egypt and North Africa), religion (how Islam shaped Musa and his empire), architecture (the methods of construction for Malian mud-brick buildings) and fables (the legend of the Malian “gold plant”). However, Oliver always strives for historical accuracy; even his fictional account of a young sandal maker who travels to Niani’s great market contains period-appropriate language and scenery. The book also includes a lengthy glossary that is amply illustrated with drawings and photographs of West African boats and buildings. The work’s one shortcoming is its abrupt ending after Musa returns home; it lacks a thorough explanation as to how and why the empire of Mali eventually dissolved.
A thoughtful, engaging history for intermediate students interested in Africa.Pub Date: March 26, 2013
ISBN: 978-1468053548
Page Count: 128
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 31, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Share your opinion of this book
by Tori Sharp ; illustrated by Tori Sharp ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2021
A rich and deeply felt slice of life.
Crafting fantasy worlds offers a budding middle school author relief and distraction from the real one in this graphic memoir debut.
Everyone in Tori’s life shows realistic mixes of vulnerability and self-knowledge while, equally realistically, seeming to be making it up as they go. At least, as she shuttles between angrily divorced parents—dad becoming steadily harder to reach, overstressed mom spectacularly incapable of reading her offspring—or drifts through one wearingly dull class after another, she has both vivacious bestie Taylor Lee and, promisingly, new classmate Nick as well as the (all-girl) heroic fantasy, complete with portals, crystal amulets, and evil enchantments, taking shape in her mind and on paper. The flow of school projects, sleepovers, heart-to-heart conversations with Taylor, and like incidents (including a scene involving Tori’s older brother, who is having a rough adolescence, that could be seen as domestic violence) turns to a tide of change as eighth grade winds down and brings unwelcome revelations about friends. At least the story remains as solace and, at the close, a sense that there are still chapters to come in both worlds. Working in a simple, expressive cartoon style reminiscent of Raina Telgemeier’s, Sharp captures facial and body language with easy naturalism. Most people in the spacious, tidily arranged panels are White; Taylor appears East Asian, and there is diversity in background characters.
A rich and deeply felt slice of life. (afterword, design notes) (Graphic memoir. 10-13)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-316-53889-3
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
Share your opinion of this book
More About This Book
PERSPECTIVES
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.