Childhood experiences and stories work together to influence one of America’s most important writers.
Born in 1931, Toni Morrison began life as Chloe Ardelia Wofford. Growing up in Lorain, Ohio, a poor, segregated town, she enjoyed listening to stories told by her parents and grandparents. She became an excellent reader who loved the music and rhythm of words and language. At 12, she converted to Catholicism, choosing Anthony as her baptismal name. A top student, she attended Howard University, where she asked her friends, who had trouble with her name, to call her Toni. When she married Harold Morrison, an architect, she became Toni Morrison. Work as an editor stirred her desire to tell stories, especially those centering the African American experience. Her first novel, The Bluest Eye, launched her writing career, and over the years, she was recognized with many awards, including the Nobel Prize in literature. Her work always reflected the stories and language of her first storytellers. This introduction to Morrison’s life and influences demonstrates how much she was shaped by the experiences of her childhood. As an author of both adult titles and books for younger readers, her path will be of interest to readers of picture-book biographies. Nolen uses evocative language, while Ransome’s watercolor-and-collage illustrations complement and enhance the text with fluidity and a warm palette. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An uplifting glimpse into the life of one of America’s most distinguished writers. (author’s note, list of books by Morrison, important quotes, resources, list of achievements) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-7852-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
Categories: CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR
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Champion figure skater Chen tells the story of a young athlete whose first competition doesn’t go quite as planned.
In the author’s note, Chen shares that “Wei’s story is my story.” Indeed, Wei is Chen’s Chinese name, and the action of the book tracks with his much-hyped but disappointing turn in the 2018 Olympics, followed by a gold medal win in 2022. After years of preparation, Wei, an 8-year-old boy of Chinese heritage, is ready for his first competition. Then he falls during practice. That night, Wei is too consumed with fear to enjoy spicy rice noodles with his family. When Wei’s mother prompts him to be specific about the source of his fear, Wei finds that he is not scared of falling again, nor of being embarrassed. Instead, he admits, “I’m scared of not winning.” “Forget about winning,” his mother says and urges him to concentrate on what makes him happy. When he takes to the ice the next day, his focus shifts from victory to technique, artistry, and fun! Nam’s illustrations capture Wei’s charming family life but are most impressive when revealing his strength and beauty on the ice; full-bleed spreads feel like slow-motion breakdowns of each jump. Any reader who has had fun chased aside by the pressure of expectations will find solace in this tale. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An inspiring, invigorating story about the value of practice, perseverance—and joy! (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2023
ISBN: 9780063282827
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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A memorable, lyrical reverse-chronological walk through the life of an American icon.
In free verse, Cline-Ransome narrates the life of Harriet Tubman, starting and ending with a train ride Tubman takes as an old woman. “But before wrinkles formed / and her eyes failed,” Tubman could walk tirelessly under a starlit sky. Cline-Ransome then describes the array of roles Tubman played throughout her life, including suffragist, abolitionist, Union spy, and conductor on the Underground Railroad. By framing the story around a literal train ride, the Ransomes juxtapose the privilege of traveling by rail against Harriet’s earlier modes of travel, when she repeatedly ran for her life. Racism still abounds, however, for she rides in a segregated train. While the text introduces readers to the details of Tubman’s life, Ransome’s use of watercolor—such a striking departure from his oil illustrations in many of his other picture books—reveals Tubman’s humanity, determination, drive, and hope. Ransome’s lavishly detailed and expansive double-page spreads situate young readers in each time and place as the text takes them further into the past.
A picture book more than worthy of sharing the shelf with Alan Schroeder and Jerry Pinkney’s Minty (1996) and Carole Boston Weatherford and Kadir Nelson’s Moses (2006). (Picture book/biography. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-8234-2047-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 7, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S HISTORY
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