From a deliberately awkward first line—``I meant to tell you, before I forget''—to the final scene, in which a man, child, and dog walk away from readers down a beach, this newest intergenerational love letter from Stevenson (The Bones in the Cliff, 1995, etc.) has a wistful tone. A father assures his daughter (and himself, perhaps) that he does indeed remember taking her for walks as a toddler, having to leave her at nursery school for the first time and drive away, teaching her to ride a bike, helping her not to be afraid to jump off a dock (``You knew that I'd catch you''), as well as her drawing, dancing, and laughter- -``It was a while ago . . . but I remember.'' Stevenson displays his usual wizardry with a brush, expertly capturing moods and gestures, place and dress, even a page of potential jack-o'- lanterns (``No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Yes!'') with short strokes and a dab or two. Less anchored in the long-ago than his other recent picture-book reminiscences (Higher on the Door, 1987; July, 1990; etc.), this will inspire conversations between parents and children of any age. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 1996
ISBN: 0-688-14177-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
This book falls short of its promise.
A compendium of profiles of people of color who have changed the world.
Each page of this colorful board book contains between four and nine profiles of people of color whose activism and leadership have changed the world. The descriptive text for each leader chosen is extremely short—only one sentence long—quickly outlining each person’s background, heritage, accomplishments, and little else. Each profile is accompanied by a bobbleheadlike cartoon illustration of the leader in question, rendered with bold colors and nearly identical in their simplified facial features. The heroes chosen are diverse in terms of their race, ethnicity, gender, ability, and areas of expertise, including African American athlete and artist Ernie Barnes, Dominican fashion designer Oscar de la Renta, Kwakwaka’wakw artist Ellen Ka’kasolas Neel, and president of Ecuador Lenín Moreno, who uses a wheelchair. Although the range is impressive, it is also confusing: A few sentences of additional text sporadically appear, serving little purpose and breaking the flow, nor does there seem to be any unifying threads to the groupings. Additionally, some of the choices of heroes are questionable: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, for example, was often criticized for engaging in corruption and doing little to further the cause of women’s rights, while “spiritual leader” Sudehanshu Biswas is hardly known even in his home country of India.
This book falls short of its promise. (Board book. 3-4)Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-32642-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
An age-appropriate portrait of an important artist, sketched effectively in broad strokes.
Part of the bilingual The Life Of series of biographies showcasing the lives of Latinx icons, this board book profiles Jean-Michel Basquiat, Black American artist of Haitian and Puerto Rican descent.
The authors introduce young readers to Basquiat in simple, short statements that are easily accessible to a preschool audience. The information—presented in both Spanish and English—centers on Basquiat’s early life and professional successes. From a young age, Basquiat showed an inclination toward art and used his father’s work supplies to draw at home. His mother described his artistic creations as “messy, bright, and bold!”—a trademark style that would define his life’s work. As he grew older, buildings and subway trains were a canvas for his graffiti artwork before his paintings gained entrée into art galleries. Appealing illustrations with selective coloring accompany the text. Another book in the series, The Life of / La vida de Evelyn, introduces young children to Mexican American prima ballerina Evelyn Cisneros. Children may relate to some of the challenges experienced by young Evelyn, such as overcoming shyness and feeling excluded due to the color of her skin.
An age-appropriate portrait of an important artist, sketched effectively in broad strokes. (Board book biography. 3-5)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-947971-72-1
Page Count: 22
Publisher: Lil' Libros
Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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