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MY BLOCK LOOKS LIKE

Name: MY BLOCK LOOKS LIKE
Author: Janelle Harper
ISBN: 9780593526309

by Janelle Harper ; illustrated by Frank Morrison ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 2, 2024

A culturally rich and beautifully illustrated child’s-eye view of home.

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A Black child’s ode to the Bronx.

The protagonist, who has golden-brown skin and an expansive curly Afro and wears green camo shorts over black leggings, strolls through a city neighborhood, observing all that unfolds. The sounds and rhythms of hip-hop permeate this tuneful narrative as the protagonist plays in the spray of a fire hydrant, shops at a favorite bodega, eats an Icee from a street vendor, and praises the “aerosol masterpieces” (graffiti) that grace the walls of nearby buildings. Equally comfortable on the basketball court and the dance stage, the young narrator stays in perpetual motion, striding, gliding, and bouncing through the city. When the media reports on the Bronx or when people get a “bird’s-eye view” of the “concrete jungle,” only the negatives surface, but this child sees the community’s cultural wealth. By focusing on the child’s active engagement with the neighborhood, Morrison portrays the protagonist’s excitement for this space and its people in his graffiti-style art. The artist’s careful attention to detail and the shifting visual perspectives in action scenes bring Harper’s musical text to life. The narrator argues convincingly for the Bronx as “the coolest place I’ve ever been,” where “dreams rise higher than the smog” and neighbors “sparkle under streetlamps.”

A culturally rich and beautifully illustrated child’s-eye view of home. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2024

ISBN: 9780593526309

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
SALON SATURDAY
by Janelle Harper ; illustrated by Charlot Kristensen

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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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)