A thoughtful, thorough reference.
Blending stories, history, facts, and photos, this resource offers a contemporary exploration of Chinese New Year.
With cozy memories of her own childhood celebrations, Chinese-Canadian Lee successfully sets the tone—the text provides information, but it also acknowledges the very personal aspects of holidays and traditions. A fairly coherent narrative follows, moving from origins and mythologies, through key historical moments, to discussions of how it is celebrated today, worldwide. Interspersed throughout are “CNY Facts,” quotes from famous Asians, child-friendly recipes, personal narratives, and an effective mix of scene-setting images and family photos. The package could be overwhelming if readers attempt to read from cover to cover. More likely, they will focus on specific chapters, if conducting research for an assignment, or enjoy browsing the discrete sections. A few quibbles: in a slightly awkward dance to cover China’s modern history and provide context, Lee uses vague indictments that just hint at actual brutality (“several million more people who had opposed Mao’s decisions died from violence, often because of the Red Guards”). Readers would also benefit from more rigorous citations than are provided in the general reference/resource list. The Canadians featured seem to have been selected arbitrarily and are, oddly, adults reflecting on memories rather than children. Still, Lee capably conveys the diverse, dynamic nature of this holiday, from past to present to future.
A thoughtful, thorough reference. (glossary, index) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1126-3
Page Count: 88
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: July 16, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
The real-life story behind The Man in the Red Bandanna.
On Sept. 11, 2001, in the South Tower of the World Trade Center, a man wearing a red bandanna lost his life leading others to safety. This is his story, adapted for young readers from Rinaldi’s 2016 bestseller for adults.
From an early age, Welles Crowther was obsessed with firefighters. He spent many hours hanging out at the firehouse, cleaning the rigs, and listening to his firefighter father’s tales. But after graduating from Boston College, Welles decided to follow another dream. He accepted a position as a junior associate in a finance firm. His office was on the 104th floor of the South Tower, but the call of his childhood obsession was strong. He confided to his father that he wanted to change careers and become a firefighter. But before he could realize that dream, tragedy struck. Welles kept his cool but lost his life leading others through the smoke to safety. Based on an ESPN documentary, this slim book chronicles the life and the legacy of one 9/11 hero. Readers of this youth version will be inspired by Welles’ dedication to school, sports, and his family, but they will also laugh at his mischievous side. Photographs of Welles’ life are sprinkled through the narrative.
The real-life story behind The Man in the Red Bandanna. (Biography. 9-12)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-425-28762-0
Page Count: 176
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Good fun, if less grist for young would-be Edisons than the earlier outing.
The author of Inventions That Could Have Changed the World but Didn’t (2015) mocks, or occasionally tips his hat to, a further set of outlandish contraptions.
Actually this is more of a spinoff, and an inferior one at that. Several of the same inventions stage encore appearances, Rhatigan’s descriptive comments are more cursory overall, and actual patent drawings have been dropped, leaving only cartoons that supply more yuks than insight into how the gadgets work. Still, some products, such as bird diapers marketed as “FlightSuits,” armpit air conditioners, and the 42-string “Pikasso” guitar built for Pat Metheny, have gone beyond the conceptual stage, and the author takes care to identify the creators of nearly everything here. Also, there are plenty of truly noodle-headed notions to chortle over (or abhor): a motorized baby carriage; a protective tongue sleeve for cat lickers; a frameless bicycle (“for people who needed more excitement and injuries in their lives”); and a baby onesie that’s also a floor mop. In her geometrically stylized illustrations, Aires at least visualizes each invention in action, and her wedge-shaped human figures come in all sorts of primary colors.
Good fun, if less grist for young would-be Edisons than the earlier outing. (Nonfiction. 8-11)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-63322-294-6
Page Count: 113
Publisher: Walter Foster Jr.
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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