Librarians will love sharing this story, maybe. Their listeners will love hearing it, definitely
Quiet in the library? Not while Magnolia is in action!
The irrepressible youngster previously brought an alligator to school and a piano to the beach. Now she is a circus master in the library. Smilingly, she informs the librarian, a white male, that she will follow all the appropriate rules of library behavior, but twirling, tightrope walking, and pie-in-the-face throwing unsurprisingly elicit noisy responses from the racially diverse group of children in the audience. (Black-haired Magnolia herself appears to be Asian.) Alas, the cannon that is supposed to toss her is a dud, resulting in a very loud chorus of boos. How to win back the audience? Read aloud from that action-packed thriller The Three Billy Goats Gruff. Smiling faces return, but soon astonishment takes over as the cannon finally does its job—with Magnolia and the others having to realign shelves and pick up all the fallen books. So the lesson is learned: a circus in the library is “way too noisy.” Parsley’s tale is good fun to read aloud, and the second-person narrative will have listeners immediately caught up in the action. The round-faced children are quite expressive, and the custom typeface embellishes the drama by becoming a dramatic and eye-popping element of the page design.
Librarians will love sharing this story, maybe. Their listeners will love hearing it, definitely . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-37661-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
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
A solid sequel, easily accessible to readers who missed Volume 1.
A fictionalized young Shaquille O'Neal returns for a second illustrated story about life beyond the basketball court.
Little Shaq and his cousin Barry come home from the rec center giddy about Little Shaq's first three-point shot but are greeted with another surprise. For the first time, Little Shaq's mom has made sushi for a family dinner. Barry and the others dig in, but Little Shaq's curiosity about sushi only hits him after the last roll is gone. Little Shaq's joy and confidence on the court—best expressed when Little Shaq exuberantly tosses a postgame grape into Barry's mouth ("Three points!")—contrast strongly with his unease trying new foods or activities. A large part of the book concerns a school art project, and Little Shaq's frustration is made poignantly clear through both illustration and description ("Little Shaq crumpled up his drawing and marched back to the supply tables"). Throughout, the love among Little Shaq's family members shines through in their interactions, and the story delivers a message without triteness. Taylor’s full-color illustrations break up text on almost every page, adding warmth and energy. (Final art not seen.)
A solid sequel, easily accessible to readers who missed Volume 1. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61963-844-0
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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