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SPIRIT SHADOW

Name: SPIRIT SHADOW
Author: Ginger Reno
ISBN: 9780823453108

by Ginger Reno ; illustrated by Mary Lupton ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 17, 2026

Strikingly illustrated and imbued with a relevant message.

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Reno and Lupton draw from their Cherokee heritage to tell the story of a young girl learning about her own Indigenous ancestry.

From the time that Willa was first born, her Spirit Shadow has been with her. This Spirit, illustrated as a brown-skinned adult with long, flowing dark hair, follows Willa everywhere as she grows, a presence that she feels but doesn’t see. One day, Willa visits Diligwa, a re-created ancient village and example of “living Cherokee history.” There, with Spirit, she learns about her ancestors, the Trail of Tears, and the story of her people’s resilience. Back at school, Willa shares what she learned with her classmates and realizes that all of them have their own Spirit Shadows standing with them, too. The story offers a powerful message about embracing one’s heritage, as well as a heartwarming takeaway about our interconnectedness and shared histories woven together through time. Lupton’s illustrations, deeply rich and full of warm browns and burgundies paired with lush greens, include swirls of movement. Intricate embroideries and patterns that sweep across the page are emblematic of Cherokee art and textiles and skillfully represent a connection between past and present. This memorable and visually dynamic narrative will also serve as a strong starting place for those eager to discover more about Cherokee history. Willa and her mother are drawn with light brown skin and dark brown hair; Willa’s classmates range in skin tone.

Strikingly illustrated and imbued with a relevant message. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 17, 2026

ISBN: 9780823453108

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Holiday House

Review Posted Online: March 23, 2026

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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BYE BYE, BUTTERFLY
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

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NO MOUSIE LEFT BEHIND
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT MAKER'S A TO Z
by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)