An uneven tribute to a visionary artist.
This biography presents Frank Gehry’s singular contributions to the field of architecture.
Blumenthal’s descriptions of Gehry’s designs are evocative and alliterative: “Imagine a building with sloping silver skin that seems to shiver in the wind” or a building with “billowy blanket walls big enough to hide a family of dinosaurs.” The text provides specific descriptions of how Gehry’s love for architecture fit into his life. For instance, we read that when he was a boy, his grandmother gave him pieces of wood meant for the wood stove. Inspired, young Gehry (described as a “dreamer”) created imaginary cities and worlds, leaving his parents unimpressed (something which lingered with him his entire life). Unfortunately, the jewel-toned illustrations fall short of capturing Gehry’s unique vision. The book closes with six photographs of buildings that Gehry designed, and the illustrations that precede the photos do not manage to capture the spirit of Gehry’s beautifully odd feats of architecture. The greatest tribute to Gehry, after all, may be to say that his buildings are indescribable. The text includes Gehry’s struggles with antisemitism during his time in Canada and Los Angeles—and his subsequent decision to change his Jewish surname—and his globe-trotting assignments. Some readers may kvetch that the book never really clarifies whether Gehry is dead or alive. Gehry and his family are White. One crowd scene shows people as varied as the colors in his architecture.
An uneven tribute to a visionary artist. (biographical note) (Picture book biography. 5-10)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5415-9762-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again.
Cece loves asking “why” and “what if.”
Her parents encourage her, as does her science teacher, Ms. Curie (a wink to adult readers). When Cece and her best friend, Isaac, pair up for a science project, they choose zoology, brainstorming questions they might research. They decide to investigate whether dogs eat vegetables, using Cece’s schnauzer, Einstein, and the next day they head to Cece’s lab (inside her treehouse). Wearing white lab coats, the two observe their subject and then offer him different kinds of vegetables, alone and with toppings. Cece is discouraged when Einstein won’t eat them. She complains to her parents, “Maybe I’m not a real scientist after all….Our project was boring.” Just then, Einstein sniffs Cece’s dessert, leading her to try a new way to get Einstein to eat vegetables. Cece learns that “real scientists have fun finding answers too.” Harrison’s clean, bright illustrations add expression and personality to the story. Science report inserts are reminiscent of The Magic Schoolbus books, with less detail. Biracial Cece is a brown, freckled girl with curly hair; her father is white, and her mother has brown skin and long, black hair; Isaac and Ms. Curie both have pale skin and dark hair. While the book doesn’t pack a particularly strong emotional or educational punch, this endearing protagonist earns a place on the children’s STEM shelf.
A good introduction to observation, data, and trying again. (glossary) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 19, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-249960-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
