A well-forged adaptation.
A day in the life of a modern-day blacksmith.
The poem begins: “Under a spreading chestnut tree / The village smithy stands.” The illustrations show that a neighbor’s wrought-iron gate is broken, but the “mighty” blacksmith, with arms “strong as iron bands,” is up to the task of fixing it. After he collects scrap metal and drives it back to the smithy, he begins his work. The “bellows blow.” He swings his heavy sledge “with measured beat and slow.” When his three children come home from school, they visit their dad in his smithy. They try to “catch the burning sparks that fly”—from a safe distance, of course. As they attend church on Sunday, where his daughter sings in the choir, the blacksmith is reminded of his late partner. The cycle goes on: “toiling—rejoicing—sorrowing— / onward through life he goes.” With contemporary illustrations that enhance the original source material, Karas forges new life from Longfellow’s 19th-century poem. The textured illustrations deftly utilize cool, desaturated colors, making the reds, oranges, and yellows of the smithy pop. Backmatter explains the tools of the trade and offers a short history of blacksmiths. Dedicated to Karas’ blacksmith son, the book beautifully parallels Longfellow’s own familial inspiration for the original poem. The blacksmith and his family present white; their neighbor has brown skin.
A well-forged adaptation. (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0443-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
Third graders Nora and Ellie are cousins, but they struggle to be friends. When Ellie’s father loses his job, her family moves from Texas to Portland, Ore., upsetting Nora’s predictable, calm life. Everyone struggles to adjust, but Nora and Ellie have the hardest time. Nora craves order while Ellie thrives on chaos. The girls have to share clothes, and Ellie is critical of the girly-girl clothes her cousin wears while Nora accuses Ellie of being a goth. When they end up in the same class, their teacher assigns a family-tree project that forces the girls into uncomfortable togetherness. Turns out they have more in common than they think, as they realize that they share a name and a relationship that is a lot like the one their mothers shared as children. Realistic situations coupled with modern economic problems make this a familiar story for today’s young readers. Humorous black-and-white drawings pepper the story, deepening understanding. Fans of Johanna Hurwitz and Beverly Cleary will embrace these two modern cousins. (Fiction. 6-9)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2283-8
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Burleigh uses the familiar game of soccer to demonstrate the power of teamwork to achieve success. Down to the last few minutes of a league soccer game with the score tied, the goal in this case is scoring and winning. Short, clipped phrases are used to convey the pace and intensity in the final moments of a tight game. "Players backpedaling. / Digging heels. / Explosions of gouged grass. / Mark tight! Guard the line!" Reading it out loud causes a certain breathiness, like listening to one of the players zigzagging across the field. Describing what it's like to be charging "in a wall of wild bodies," knees flailing, "all wheeling as one," watching the "goaltender's catlike leap," the text is given minimal space. This leaves lots of room for the action-packed pastels whose blurry outlines illustrate the fast-paced drama on the field. Close-ups take the reader off the sidelines and right into the play. Although general in its philosophical aim of promoting the positive aspects of teamwork, this book has some very soccer-specific terms, such as “needle's-eye chink,” and “chip pass unspooling,” sure to delight soccer enthusiasts. Even non-soccer players can appreciate that glorious feeling of team victory. In the end, both male and female teammates are just happy champions who leap, dance, cheer, and put their hands together, one on top of the other, to celebrate their achievement. On the very last page there's an illustration of a soccer ball entangled in the net for the final, winning "Goal. / Goal. / GOAL." A real winner. (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-15-201789-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harcourt
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2001
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