Hit or miss, but the Black princess is definitely great to see.
From the creators of My Hair (2019) comes a tale about a princess who finds her voice.
Shiloh lives in a “grand house” in her kingdom, and she has a tough problem: “You see, every princess in the kingdom could sing. / Yet Shiloh’s voice could do no such thing.” The doctor can’t help her. The top vocal coach thinks she’s hopeless. One day, she passes by some visiting princes making beats and rapping, and she wants to try it too. She jumps right in with her own rhymes, awing the princes with her talent. Shiloh is still sad about her voice and keeps trying to find a remedy to her lack of singing talent. But when her mirror speaks back to her, telling her to follow her passion—rapping—Shiloh realizes that she does have talent, and she finally embraces and celebrates what her voice can do. In colorful, textured illustrations that combine European-esque, fairy-tale castles with an otherwise African-inspired aesthetic, Shiloh’s kingdom appears to exist outside of time: Diverse Black royalty use both futuristic and old-fashioned transportation, for instance. The text is composed in rhyming lyrics, which readers may stumble over when reading aloud, as the cadence and rhythm are inconsistent and unclear. True hip-hop heads may balk at this simplistic presentation of rap divorced from its roots as social commentary, but many children will enjoy this energetic fable and the unique cultural style on its pages.
Hit or miss, but the Black princess is definitely great to see. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-571-36114-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share
Mother-daughter author-illustrator team Anne (who passed away in April 2018) and Lizzy Rockwell have crafted a quiet story that positively portrays a black family spending time in nature. While this shouldn’t be a news flash in 2018, it is.
A black family—mom, dad, and daughter—drives 20 minutes away from their suburb for a day hike up Hickory Hill, where they enjoy the flora, fauna, and autumnal changes. The higher they climb, the sparser the vegetation becomes until they reach the summit and take in the expansive views. This picture book offers a rare snapshot of a family of color spending quality family time in the woods. Since they think they are lost at one point, perhaps they have not hiked often, but this does not dampen their enthusiasm. Several animals make an appearance in the watercolor illustrations, done in a soft, mostly pastel palette, including a porcupine, birds, a deer, a chipmunk, and a toad. The young female narrator describes the woodpecker she sees as redheaded; this, too, suggests that she hasn’t done much bird-watching since the bird is a pileated woodpecker, and a kid who had grown up birding would know it by both sound and sight. Still, readers will appreciate the daughter’s delight as she chooses the trail to hike and really notices her surroundings.
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2737-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
Good fun for all little ninjas and their parents.
After swinging out from the jungle after a long day of ninja-ing, Will makes his way home just in time for a bath. But as all ninjas know, danger lurks around every corner.
Even naughty ninjas get hungry, but Dad says, “Pee-yew,” and insists his little ninja get clean before going near a morsel. Ever the Naughty Ninja, Will follows his dad into the bathroom and immediately spies danger: Poisonous flies that have followed him from the jungle! As any parent would, his dad begs him not to say, “Ninja to the rescue,” because we all know what comes after a catchphrase…chaos! Through each increasingly rough rescue, Dad finds himself more and more defeated in his quest to complete bathtime, but ultimately he starts to find the infectious joy that only the ridiculousness of children can bring out in an adult. The art is bright and finds some nifty ninja perspectives that use the space well. It also places an interracial family at its center: Dad has brown skin and dark, puffy hair, and Mom is a white redhead; when out of his ninja cowl, Will looks like a slightly lighter-skinned version of his father. Kids will laugh at everything the dad is put through, and parents will knowingly nod, because we have all had nights with little ninjas soaking the bathroom floor. The book starts out a little text heavy but finds its groove quickly, reading smoothly going forward. Lots of action means it’s best not to save this one for bedtime.
Good fun for all little ninjas and their parents. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5420-9433-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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