In 1950s Glen Allan, Mississippi, Little Cliff is introduced to the wider world by a map and an enthusiastic teacher. When she tells her students about Alaska, Cliff is enthralled. He’s also absolutely convinced that he and Poppa Joe can drive there easily. After all, he could trace the distance on the map with his fingers. When Poppa Joe convinces Cliff that Alaska is really too far for a drive, he finds a way to console him and to bring Alaska to him. An old friend shows them pictures from his Navy days in Alaska and lends him a fur-trimmed parka. Another old friend gives them access to an icehouse that Poppa Joe turns into an Alaskan experience complete with ice fishing. Little Cliff is a delightful, inquisitive child surrounded by the warmth and love of a remarkable multigenerational family—Poppa Joe and Mama Pearl are his great-grandparents. Friendships are long term and colorblind. Cliff’s family and Brother Cleve, the icehouse owner, are African-American and Mr. Jacob is white and Jewish. Lewis’s illustrations are full of light and joy. They perfectly capture each character and beautifully complement the text. This is Taulbert’s third Little Cliff offering (Little Cliff Goes to School, 2001; Little Cliff and the Porch People, 1999), each based on a childhood memory. It’s to be hoped there will be many more to come. (Picture book. 5-9)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2002
ISBN: 0-8037-2558-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2002
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-00361-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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