A lively introduction to a whole new cast of heroines.
Women of the Broadway theater take center stage in this loving homage.
Past and present are represented, from Ethel Merman and Pearl Bailey to Kelli O’Hara and Audra McDonald. Several women whose great talent lit up the stage in one special play, such as Aida’s Heather Headley and Fela!’s Lilias White, are also given a place in this admiration society. They are introduced in alphabetical order, sometimes using first names, sometimes last names, and sometimes the parts they played. Steven Sondheim is given a nod for the substantive female characters he created, and Bob Fosse for his unique choreography that allowed multitalented displays. Each entry appears as a clever verse in four-line abcb form, honoring the star’s talent or highlighting a particular role for which she is most known. The verses are accompanied by Emmerich’s digital illustrations, which accurately capture the individuality and facial features of the performers as they joyously play to their audiences. Full names of the women and the titles and dates of the shows they are depicted in appear in very small white print at the bottoms of the pages. A double-page spread of thumbnail portraits includes 32 additional divas. Allman obviously loves these performers and wants young readers to get to know them, but most of these children will probably need an adult who is a Broadway aficionado to guide them and perhaps put some show music on their playlist.
A lively introduction to a whole new cast of heroines. (biographical information) (Informational picture book. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-64540-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An apt choice for collections that already have stronger alternatives, such as R.J. Palacio's Wonder (2012).
A memoir of the first 14 years in the life of Australian Robert Hoge, born with stunted legs and a tumor in the middle of his face.
In 1972, Robert is born, the youngest of five children, with fishlike eyes on the sides of his face, a massive lump in place of his nose, and malformed legs. As baby Robert is otherwise healthy, the doctors convince his parents to approve the first of many surgeries to reduce his facial difference. One leg is also amputated, and Robert comes home to his everyday white, working-class family. There's no particular theme to the tale of Robert's next decade and a half: he experiences school and teasing, attempts to participate in sports, and is shot down by a girl. Vignette-driven choppiness and the lack of an overarching narrative would make the likeliest audience be those who seek disability stories. However, young Robert's ongoing quest to identify as "normal"—a quest that remains unchanged until a sudden turnaround on the penultimate page—risks alienating readers comfortable with their disabilities. Brief lyrical moments ("as compulsory as soggy tomato sandwiches at snack time") appeal but are overwhelmed by the dry, distant prose dominating this autobiography.
An apt choice for collections that already have stronger alternatives, such as R.J. Palacio's Wonder (2012). (Memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-425-28775-0
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
An impeccably researched and told biography of Leonard Bernstein’s musical apprenticeship, from toddlerhood to his conducting debut with the New York Philharmonic at age 25. Rubin traces Lenny’s education, musical influences and enduring friendships. Lenny reveled in mounting elaborate musical productions in Sharon, Mass., his family’s summer community. As a student, he augmented support from his family by giving lessons, accompanying singers, transcribing music and more; the narrative sparkles with details that match its subject’s energy and verve. Especially crystalline are the links drawn between father Sam’s decades-long dismissal of his son’s musical gifts and the consequential importance of mentors and supportive teachers in the young man’s life. In exploring Lenny’s devout Jewish roots and coming of age during the persecution of Jews in Europe, the author reveals how dramatically Bernstein altered the landscape for conductors on the American scene. In an epilogue sketching Bernstein’s later life, she briefly mentions his bisexuality, marriage and children. Drawn from interviews, family memoirs and other print resources, quotations are well-integrated and assiduously attributed. Photos, concert programs, early doodles and letters, excerpts from musical scores and other primary documentation enhance the text. Excellent bookmaking—from type to trim size—complements a remarkable celebration of a uniquely American musical genius. (chronology, biographical sketches, author’s note, discography, bibliography, quotation sources, index) (Biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-58089-344-2
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2011
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