An incomplete introduction to a trailblazing athlete.
Dedicated in part to “every woman who refuses to yield,” this Portuguese import (via Germany) depicts the childhood and rise to fame of pioneering cyclist Alfonsina Strada.
Front endpapers introduce the town in which Alfonsina lives in what appears to be the late-19th or early-20th century (no dates are provided, but wagons make an appearance), with peasants and a general with an “imperial mustache.” Cycling posters are in Italian, placing the story in Europe. Alfonsina’s father trades a basket of chickens for a large bike. It’s too big for his daughter, and children in town taunt her (one even mooning her) and call her “tomboy” for riding it. She dons men’s clothing and eventually masters the bike, winning her first race at 13. “Faster than the wind” and in appropriate riding gear as an adult, she races in cities across Europe, earning the name “the Pedal Queen.” The posterlike illustrations have an almost constructivist look in spots and feature a limited palette of only five colors, including a nearly fluorescent yellow. Townspeople in the distance, primarily depicted in the book’s copper shade, are often depicted with no facial features, the focus being on the small girl on the oversized bike, learning to master it but often wreaking havoc in crowds. The absence of any backmatter leaves readers wondering precisely how Strada was so groundbreaking and will have curious children seeking additional information about the Italian cyclist elsewhere.
An incomplete introduction to a trailblazing athlete. (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-3-89955-853-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little Gestalten
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Forceful and exhilarating.
An alphabet picture book that presents the ideal of a democratic society.
Seeing its standard ABC formula—“A is for…” etc.—and a rhyming text, readers may be inclined to think that nothing substantial is in the offing. They would be wrong. If ever an alphabet book packed a punch, this one is it. Leaving no effort to empower unturned, the text goes from, well, A to Z with an energetic propulsion that will educate readers to become informed, engaged citizens. Exhortations (“Z is for zeal. Please bring yours!”), nods to bastions of a democratic society (“F for a free press to find facts and share”), and celebrations of diversity (“D is for difference—our strength and our beauty”) share space with history (“S is for suffrage”) and critical thinking (“R is for represent. They work for me!”). They all combine to deliver a timely message of citizen empowerment. This lively activist theme is visually echoed by bold, full-color illustrations depicting a diversity of humans whose skin colors range from white to all shades of brown and include, prominently and frequently, a woman in a hijab. The people in the illustrations often face directly forward, engaging—almost confronting—readers. Many historical figures are illustrated, and the backmatter both names them and encourages readers to learn more on their own. Backmatter also gives suggestions to young readers for contributing to voter empowerment and includes a voting rights timeline.
Forceful and exhilarating. (Informational picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: July 21, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-250-23125-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
A larger-than-life subject is neatly captured in text and images.
The life journey of the first African American to serve on the United States Supreme Court and the incidents that formed him.
Thurgood Marshall grew up in segregated Baltimore, Maryland, with a family that encouraged him to stand for justice. Despite attending poor schools, he found a way to succeed. His father instilled in him a love of the law and encouraged him to argue like a lawyer during dinner conversations. His success in college meant he could go to law school, but the University of Maryland did not accept African American students. Instead, Marshall went to historically black Howard University, where he was mentored by civil rights lawyer Charles Houston. Marshall’s first major legal case was against the law school that denied him a place, and his success brought him to the attention of the NAACP and ultimately led to his work on the groundbreaking Brown v. Board of Education, which itself led to his appointment to the Supreme Court. This lively narrative serves as an introduction to the life of one of the country’s important civil rights figures. Important facts in Marshall’s life are effectively highlighted in an almost staccato fashion. The bold watercolor-and-collage illustrations, beginning with an enticing cover, capture and enhance the strong tone set by the words.
A larger-than-life subject is neatly captured in text and images. (author’s note, photos) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6533-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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