Musicians with heart put their people before profits in an inspirational tale.
An entertaining graphic novel about a band of influential Native rock stars and civil rights activists.
Readers will enjoy learning the origin story of classic rock band Redbone, recently known for their hit “Come and Get Your Love” from the soundtrack of The Guardians of the Galaxy. Structured as an oral history recounted by Pat Vegas to his adult daughter, the story of Pat and his brother Lolly Vegas reveals their influential presence on the Sunset Strip beginning in the 1960s. From inspiring Jim Morrison and The Doors to conceiving of an all-Indian band with the encouragement of Jimi Hendrix, Redbone battled prejudice to be a part of the classic rock scene in America. Using their prominence as an avenue to support social justice, the band was integral to struggles for civil rights and the American Indian Movement. Including memories of the occupation of Alcatraz Island and the second Wounded Knee, this important story serves both as history and family love story. Frequently drawn without panels, free-floating illustrations are color coded to clarify the time periods discussed in the narrative. The drawing style, which feels like a personal sketchbook in places, adds to the charm and digressive nature of the plot. Well-researched and well-paced, this book will introduce a new generation to the music and impact of Redbone.
Musicians with heart put their people before profits in an inspirational tale. (Graphic nonfiction. 12-adult)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68405-714-6
Page Count: 160
Publisher: IDW Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
With the demand for all things Hamilton still strong, this will resonate with many teen readers.
Over 200 years after his death in a duel with former Vice President Aaron Burr, founding father Alexander Hamilton’s story is a major player in popular culture.
Brockenbrough begins her narrative with a list of the contradictions of Hamilton’s life and then sets out to describe many of them in detail. Hamilton’s wretched childhood and struggles for survival and an education set a tone that depicts him as the consummate self-made man whose flaws damaged both his political career and personal life. Hamilton’s courtship and marriage to Elizabeth Schuyler, a daughter of one of the country’s most influential families, is a key part, along with prominent figures from American history. Sometimes the intricacies of Revolutionary War strategy and Constitutional Convention maneuvering slow things down, making the pace uneven. However, tidbits about Hamilton’s role in the episode with Benedict Arnold and his close relationships with fellow soldier John Laurens and his sister-in-law Angelica Church are intriguing. The story is targeted to an older audience than Teri Kanefield’s Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America (2017), so the sex scandal that derailed Hamilton’s political career is part of the story, as is, of course, the duel that ended his life. After the epilogue, the volume includes information on 18th-century medicine, attire, and warfare among other contextualizing topics ; the volume will be illustrated with archival material (not seen).
With the demand for all things Hamilton still strong, this will resonate with many teen readers. (timeline, source notes, bibliography, index) (Biography. 12-18)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-12319-0
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 6, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
A remarkable biography.
The story of a flawed, complicated man.
The son of a distant Minnesota congressman and a demanding, well-educated mother, young Charles Lindbergh grew up shuttling among the family farm, his grandfather’s Detroit home, and Washington, D.C. Intelligent but uninterested in school, he began flying at age 19, getting involved in barnstorming and becoming an Air Service Reserve Corps officer. He used a combination of mechanical aptitude and moxie to successfully cross the Atlantic in a 1927 solo nonstop flight and was instantly propelled into worldwide celebrity. Success came at tremendous cost, however, when his infant son was kidnapped and murdered. Lindbergh was also his own enemy: His infatuation with eugenics led him into overt racism, open admiration for Hitler, and public denunciation of Jews. Fallen from grace, he nonetheless flew 50 clandestine combat missions in the South Pacific. He became an advocate for animal conservation but also had three secret families in addition to his acknowledged one. Fleming (Eleanor Roosevelt's in My Garage!, 2018, etc.) expertly sources and clearly details a comprehensive picture of a well-known, controversial man. Her frequent use of diaries allows much of the story to come through in Charles’ and his wife Anne’s own words. The man who emerges is hateable, pitiable, and admirable all at the same time, and this volume measures up to the best Lindbergh biographies for any audience.
A remarkable biography. (bibliography, source notes, picture credits, index) (Biography. 12-adult)Pub Date: Feb. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-525-64654-9
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2019
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