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HEAR THE WIND BLOW

Name: HEAR THE WIND BLOW
Author: Doe Boyle
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4561-4

by Doe Boyle ; illustrated by Emily Paik ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2021

An artful blend of language, illustration, and science.

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Hear the wind blow, and see the ocean react, as the story unfolds.

Spanning several eventful days, the story begins with “a kiss of air— / a soft breath, a phantom wisp,” escalates to a “hurricane [that] comes whirling,” and culminates as neighbors work to clean up after “winds calm down. / Stillness echoes through the town.” Carefully chosen words and a varied color palette emphasize each moment. An uncluttered illustration of a suburban street in clear pastel colors is paired with “Bend an ear to the breeze— / hear the scuffling, ruffling flutter— / leaves go scuttling in the gutter.” When the storm intensifies, a midnight-blue sea buffets the seaside town and supports the lines: “Now the windstorm whips and wails— / sucks at sand and billows sails. / Shut the doors! Stay inside. / A storm approaches! You must hide.” As the story progresses, the stanzas lengthen to describe the storm’s fury, a family sheltering at home, and a community rebuilding. When the story is complete, an author’s note explains the underlying structure of the poem. “Each stanza represents, in order, one of the thirteen categories of the Beaufort wind force scale.” Additional backmatter explains the scale’s origin and provides a detailed chart listing the wind speeds, sea effects, and land effects for each category in the scale. Illustrations show a diverse community of young families; all three members of the heteronormative focal family have pale skin and straight black hair.

An artful blend of language, illustration, and science. (glossary, suggested reading) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 1, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-8075-4561-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
WATER
by Doe Boyle ; illustrated by Ana Miminoshvili

- BOOK REVIEW
HEARTBEAT
by Doe Boyle ; illustrated by Daniel Long

- BOOK REVIEW
BLINK!
by Doe Boyle ; illustrated by Adèle Leyris

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THE WATER PRINCESS

by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016

Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of...

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An international story tackles a serious global issue with Reynolds’ characteristic visual whimsy.

Gie Gie—aka Princess Gie Gie—lives with her parents in Burkina Faso. In her kingdom under “the African sky, so wild and so close,” she can tame wild dogs with her song and make grass sway, but despite grand attempts, she can neither bring the water closer to home nor make it clean. French words such as “maintenant!” (now!) and “maman” (mother) and local color like the karite tree and shea nuts place the story in a French-speaking African country. Every morning, Gie Gie and her mother perch rings of cloth and large clay pots on their heads and walk miles to the nearest well to fetch murky, brown water. The story is inspired by model Georgie Badiel, who founded the Georgie Badiel Foundation to make clean water accessible to West Africans. The details in Reynolds’ expressive illustrations highlight the beauty of the West African landscape and of Princess Gie Gie, with her cornrowed and beaded hair, but will also help readers understand that everyone needs clean water—from the children of Burkina Faso to the children of Flint, Michigan.

Though told by two outsiders to the culture, this timely and well-crafted story will educate readers on the preciousness of potable water. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-399-17258-8

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
ARE YOU LISTENING?
by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

- BOOK REVIEW
WHO I AM
by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds

- BOOK REVIEW
CAN YOU SEE IT?
by Susan Verde ; illustrated by Juliana Perdomo

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A LIBRARY

by Nikki Giovanni ; illustrated by Erin K. Robinson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 27, 2022

A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter.

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A love letter to libraries.

A Black child, with hair in two puffballs tied with yellow ribbons, a blue dress with a Peter Pan collar, and black patent leather Mary Janes, helps Grandmother with the housework, then, at Grandmother’s suggestion, heads to the library. The child’s eagerness to go, with two books under an arm and one in their hand, suggests that this is a favorite destination. The books’ wordless covers emphasize their endless possibilities. The protagonist’s description of the library makes clear that they are always free to be themselves there—whether they feel happy or sad, whether they’re reading mysteries or recipes, and whether they feel “quick and smart” or “contained and cautious.” Robinson’s vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in and textures and patterns in every image, effectively capture the protagonist’s passion for reading and appreciation for a space where they feel accepted regardless of disposition. In her author’s note, Giovanni states that she spent summers visiting her grandmother in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she went to the Carnegie Branch of the Lawson McGhee Library. She expresses gratitude for Mrs. Long, the librarian, who often traveled to the main library to get books that Giovanni could not find in their segregated branch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter. (Picture book. 4-7)