Despite its zany plot and boisterous pictures, this tale doesn’t quite take off.
An intrepid, outlandishly dressed child has a few unexpected hiccups on her first solo plane ride.
Author and illustrator duo Richardson and Pechet team up again to tell a whimsical story about Lola, who is about to fly unaccompanied to visit her grandma. Despite her mother’s anxieties about this unprecedented trip, Lola is unperturbed; equipped with mermaid leggings, a tutu, fairy wings, a unicorn baseball cap, and a magic wand, her confidence sparkles almost as brightly as her outfit. As Lola settles into seat 13A, she can scarcely get comfortable before a bubbly flight attendant named Arshbir makes a call on the intercom: An “emergency” has arisen that “only a mermaid can handle”—is there one on the plane? Lola happily accepts the challenge. More kooky obstacles ensue throughout the flight, requiring the assistance of any ballerina, fairy, and unicorn onboard (each serendipitously aligned with Lola’s clothing). The flight concludes after Lola successfully averts these oddball disasters, leaving the eccentric protagonist feeling calm when she meets up with Gran. In Pechet’s signature scribbly illustrations, Lola has pale skin, while Arshbir’s light-tan skin, sky-blue turban, full beard, and handlebar mustache code him as South Asian. Some young readers might enjoy this story’s absurd hijinks and bold characters, but others may find it long-winded, with images that seem both jarring and a bit flat.(This book was reviewed digitally.)
Despite its zany plot and boisterous pictures, this tale doesn’t quite take off. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-927917-83-1
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Outstanding—a breath of fresh air, just like Rocket herself.
Rocket is on a mission…to get her angst-y teen brother to put down his cellphone and look up.
An aspiring astronaut, Rocket makes it a point to set up her telescope and gaze at the stars every night before bedtime. Inspired by Mae Jemison, Rocket, a supercute black girl with braids and a coiffed Afro, hopes to be “the greatest astronaut, star catcher, and space walker who has ever lived.” As the night of the Phoenix meteor shower approaches, Rocket makes fliers inviting everyone in her neighborhood to see the cosmic event at the park. Over the course of her preparations, she shares information about space-shuttle missions, what causes a meteor shower, and when is the best time to see one. Jamal, Rocket’s insufferable older brother, who sports a high-top fade and a hoodie, is completely engrossed in his phone, even as just about everybody in the neighborhood turns up. The bright, digital illustrations are an exuberant celebration of both space and black culture that will simultaneously inspire and ground readers. That the main characters are unapologetically black is made plain through myriad details. Rocket’s mother is depicted cornrowing her daughter’s hair with a wide-toothed comb and hair oil. Gap-toothed Rocket, meanwhile, makes her enthusiasm for space clear in the orange jumpsuit both she and her cat wear—and even Jamal’s excited by the end.
Outstanding—a breath of fresh air, just like Rocket herself. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9442-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Bugs, friendship, and fun—what more could burgeoning readers want?
The titular characters collect and protect bugs in this early reader.
Against blocks of cartoonlike green grass and blue sky—with bugs hovering around them—two boys face readers with big smiles. Dirt has light skin and a head of floppy russet hair, while Bugsy has dark skin and an Afro. The text explains that “Dirt and Bugsy are bug catchers. They catch all kinds of bugs.” Bright islands of artwork against the next two white pages show nicely detailed drawings of bugs that “crawl,” “fly,” “slide,” or “hide.” Rudimentary sentences and phrases, subtle rhymes, and repetitive language encourage hesitant readers to stay engaged as a simple plot emerges. The boys are enjoying outdoor time with bugs when it begins to rain. They build a shelter—“a bug barn”—and diligently search for, seize, and house hiding bugs. The story’s conclusion is satisfactory in every way—no small feat in this genre. A welcome endnote, artistically rendered to look handwritten on lined paper, advises kids on how to be responsible bug catchers (“Find a good bug-catching jar”; “Go outside. Look around in good buggy places…”)—and bug releasers.
Bugs, friendship, and fun—what more could burgeoning readers want? (Early reader. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-51992-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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