A poetic example of Black male excellence to inspire an emerging generation of readers.
Weatherford celebrates the achievements of African American men, from Martin Luther King Jr. to Bootsy Collins.
The inspiration for this poetic offering began back in 2009, when 5-year-old Jacob Philadelphia met with then-president Barack Obama in the Oval Office. “I want to know if your hair is like mine,” said Jacob, right before President Obama bowed to allow him to touch his head—an image immortalized by photojournalist Pete Souza. An illustrated depiction of that moment appears in the book, along with scenes of other young Black children finding inspiration in a variety of role models. “I have hair like Obama’s,” the narrator tells us, “and hands like LeBron’s.” References to other recognizable and potentially lesser-known Black male inventors, athletes, artists, civic leaders, and more are threaded throughout. Writing in verse, Weatherford cleverly riffs on her subjects’ character traits and contributions, welcoming a new generation of readers to discover more about their legacies: “I think up inventions / just like the real McCoy.” “My voice is my instrument / like Trane’s sax and Bootsy’s bass.” (Backmatter explains that Weatherford is referring to engineer Elijah McCoy, jazz saxophonist John Coltrane, and funk musician Bootsy Collins.) Durr’s digital, animation-influenced illustrations brim with color as children race Usain Bolt, daydream about following in astronaut Guion Bluford’s footsteps, and more.
A poetic example of Black male excellence to inspire an emerging generation of readers. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9781419771484
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams Appleseed
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings.
The Crayons head back to class in this latest series entry.
Daywalt’s expository text lays out the basics as various Crayons wave goodbye to the beach, choose a first-day outfit, greet old friends, and make new ones. As in previous outings, the perennially droll illustrations and hand-lettered Crayon-speak drive the humor. The ever wrapperless Peach, opining, “What am I going to wear?” surveys three options: top hat and tails, a chef’s toque and apron, and a Santa suit. New friends Chunky Toddler Crayon (who’s missing a bite-sized bit of their blue point) and Husky Toddler Crayon speculate excitedly on their common last name: “I wonder if we’re related!” White Crayon, all but disappearing against the page’s copious white space, sits cross-legged reading a copy of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. And Yellow and Orange, notable for their previous existential argument about the color of the sun, find agreement in science class: Jupiter, clearly, is yellow AND orange. Everybody’s excited about art class—“Even if they make a mess. Actually…ESPECIALLY if they make a mess!” Here, a spread of crayoned doodles of butterflies, hearts, and stars is followed by one with fulsome scribbles. Fans of previous outings will spot cameos from Glow in the Dark and yellow-caped Esteban (the Crayon formerly known as Pea Green). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621110
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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