An imaginative take on the alphabet-book genre that’s sure to gain a place in the hearts of soccer fans.
Featuring dozens of emblematic soccer players, this picture book lives up to its subtitle as the “ultimate alphabet book” for the young soccer/football enthusiast.
Lionel Messi, the yellow card, Pelé, the bicycle kick, Mia Hamm: This soccer-themed alphabet book features concepts and notable players from past and present. Going beyond a mere depiction of the players, it employs a humorous approach, through clever takes on both the players’ names and monikers as well as game situations and soccer lingo. Each page/letter has an unexpected twist to it—a surprising pun, a semi-obscure reference…not exactly what one would expect. For instance, Pelé, the Brazilian legend, is found not under the letter P but K, as he is the “King” of the game; similarly, Diego Maradona, one of last century’s legends, is not under the letter M but under H, as in the “Hand of God,” referencing the infamous illegal goal he scored with his hand in the 1986 World Cup. The subject matter yields some inspiring choices for typically difficult letters: “V is for Vuvuzela,” natch, and “Z is for Zizou in Zebra Stripes.” However, “X is for XI” (as in 11 players) is a little pallid and will need some unpacking for younger readers. In addition to appearing on the copyright page, women are confined to two entries: “Queen” Marta and team “USA” (where Hamm appears).
An imaginative take on the alphabet-book genre that’s sure to gain a place in the hearts of soccer fans. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-62937-671-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Triumph Books
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist.
Frida Kahlo’s strong affection for and identification with animals form the lens through which readers view her life and work in this picture-book biography.
Each two-page spread introduces one or more of her pets, comparing her characteristics to theirs and adding biographical details. Confusingly for young readers, the beginning pages reference pets she owned as an adult, yet the illustrations and events referred to come from earlier in her life. Bonito the parrot perches in a tree overlooking young Frida and her family in her childhood home and pops up again later, just before the first mention of Diego Rivera. Granizo, the fawn, another pet from her adult years, is pictured beside a young Frida and her father along with a description of “her life as a little girl.” The author’s note adds important details about Kahlo’s life and her significance as an artist, as well as recommending specific paintings that feature her beloved animals. Expressive acrylic paintings expertly evoke Kahlo’s style and color palette. While young animal lovers will identify with her attachment to her pets and may enjoy learning about the Aztec origins of her Xolo dogs and the meaning of turkeys in ancient Mexico, the book may be of most interest to those who already have an interest in Kahlo’s life.
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4269-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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