Combining the amazement offered by the natural world with an unconventional and poignant dose of social commentary, this...
Can-never-sit-still Rodney really wants to be outside, but it seems the world conspires against his urges—but now, Rodney finally makes it outside, “more outside than [he’s] ever been before.”
This book neatly nestles itself among recent trends of growing engagement with African-American populations within our national parks, as well as offering a measured response to the ways black boys may struggle with school cultures that enforce seated obedience over genuine curiosity. We all know Rodney. He’s a smart kid who follows his innate impulses, well enough to further his interest in the wonders of the world. The text allows readers to decide the thorny question of whether Rodney is worthy of an ADHD diagnosis. Because what happens when Rodney finally makes it outside on a class field trip to a park that puts him directly in contact with nature? He’s high, he’s low, and he’s everywhere in between as his natural impulses to explore and discover lead to a calm, “majestic” conclusion. Cooper’s signature style captures Rodney’s fidgetiness indoors and his growing excitement as the school bus rumbles out of town. In the park, a sequence of spectacular double-page sequences places Rodney within the park’s many wonders, and readers can see clearly how this immersion in nature allows the boy to be exactly himself.
Combining the amazement offered by the natural world with an unconventional and poignant dose of social commentary, this story gives more to its readers than what meets the eye. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-930238-73-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Yosemite Conservancy
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.
The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.
On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780316561341
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
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