A delightful and nicely anecdotal story about the importance of teamwork and the unsung heroes among us.
In his author/illustrator picture-book debut, Palmer celebrates basketball virtuosos who never make it to the NBA.
An older Black girl who plays basketball is the unnamed narrator of this tale. Acknowledging that people have varying opinions about who deserves the honorific best basketball player ever, she invites readers to incline their ears to her telling of the legend of Gravity, “the greatest ballplayer to ever lace up a pair of sneakers.” She goes on to relate how she and her teammates on the Hillside Projects basketball team, the Eagles, first met Gravity when he suddenly showed up on the neighborhood court one afternoon. After witnessing the lanky newcomer’s prowess with the ball, the Eagles promptly recruit him to join their team, and Gravity becomes their star player, propelling them to victory over teams across the city. With each winning game, the Eagles get closer to the Best of the Best tournament. Their foolproof strategy is to get the ball to Gravity so that he can make all the winning plays, but when the big final game against the unbeatable East Side Flyers rolls around, the kids realize it will take more than Gravity’s one-man show to carry the day. Palmer’s painterly illustrations effectively convey the physicality and drama of basketball. In the author’s note, he dedicates the book to streetball legends everywhere and reminds readers that their stories are kept alive by word of mouth and thus, often end up sounding like tall tales. All characters are Black. (This book was reviewed digitally).
A delightful and nicely anecdotal story about the importance of teamwork and the unsung heroes among us. (author's note) (Picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: Jan. 4, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-374-31328-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)
Bewitched by the rhythms of jazz all around her in Depression-era Kansas City, little Melba Doretta Liston longs to make music in this fictional account of a little-known jazz great.
Picking up the trombone at 7, the little girl teaches herself to play with the support of her Grandpa John and Momma Lucille, performing on the radio at 8 and touring as a pro at just 17. Both text and illustrations make it clear that it’s not all easy for Melba; “The Best Service for WHITES ONLY” reads a sign in a hotel window as the narrative describes a bigotry-plagued tour in the South with Billie Holiday. But joy carries the day, and the story ends on a high note, with Melba “dazzling audiences and making headlines” around the world. Russell-Brown’s debut text has an innate musicality, mixing judicious use of onomatopoeia with often sonorous prose. Morrison’s sinuous, exaggerated lines are the perfect match for Melba’s story; she puts her entire body into her playing, the exaggerated arch of her back and thrust of her shoulders mirroring the curves of her instrument. In one thrilling spread, the evening gown–clad instrumentalist stands over the male musicians, her slide crossing the gutter while the back bow disappears off the page to the left. An impressive discography complements a two-page afterword and a thorough bibliography.
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60060-898-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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