This outstanding bilingual autobiography encapsulates the life-changing power of having a goal and the will to achieve it.
Working the fields of California’s Central Valley by day and staring up at the stars by night, young José M. Hernández had an impossible dream: to become an astronaut.
Even though the U.S.–born migrant farmworker didn’t speak English until he was 12, José swore he would realize that dream. With his Mexican parents’ support, he followed his father’s “recipe” for success: “Identify my goal, determine how long it would take me to achieve it and create a plan to reach it.” His mother added that he should strive for excellence in school, and José contributed his own special ingredient: “never ever give up!” After earning degrees in electrical engineering, he applied to NASA and was rejected—11 times. In order to better his chances of entering the program, he became a pilot, was certified as a scuba diver, and learned Russian. NASA finally accepted his 12th application, and in 2009 he blasted into space. Hernández’s descriptive narrative flows effortlessly in both English and Baeza Ventura’s Spanish translation and is easily accessible. Petruccio’s colorful and detailed paintings bring this amazing adventure to life, hazy backgrounds giving the scenes a pleasing dreamlike quality. Hernández closes his account with a heartfelt exhortation to readers to pursue their own dreams, asking them “Which stars do you want to touch?”
This outstanding bilingual autobiography encapsulates the life-changing power of having a goal and the will to achieve it. (Bilingual picture book/biography. 7-12)Pub Date: May 31, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-55885-882-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
A surface-level salute to sisterhood.
A collection of profiles of sisters who have influenced culture, inspired change, and made history.
Choosing subjects connected by the bond of sisterhood, Lewis offers an overview of the lives of some of the most influential and famous women in history whose lives span continents and centuries. From tennis champions Venus and Serena Williams and the Azmi sisters, Pakistani Canadian field hockey players, to politician Kamala Harris and her civil rights lawyer sister, Maya, readers are introduced to women who have established names for themselves in their respective fields. Alongside towering literary, artistic, and political figures, readers will find the Kardashians and Kate and Pippa Middleton. The author is keen to note the humanity in the women’s interpersonal relationships by sharing instances of sibling rivalry, jealousy, and discord as well as the moments that celebrate the firm bonds of sisterhood. The very brief nature of each profile—consisting of a title page, an attractive full-page portrait, and two scant pages of text offering cursory information—means that the book reads like a series of Wikipedia entries. Indeed, the author drew heavily upon secondary sources such as general news websites for material. Although the profiles are not in-depth enough to serve as material for school reports, the work may inspire appreciation and further interest.
A surface-level salute to sisterhood. (further reading, sources) (Nonfiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-294765-9
Page Count: 208
Publisher: Quill Tree Books/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
An inspirational, fast-paced biography of a man who broke barriers for athletes of color.
Despite years of racism and discrimination, Roberto Clemente became a baseball legend.
Born in 1934, Clemente grew up in Puerto Rico, where he played baseball using a tree branch and a tin can. At 19, he left the island to play professional béisbol but spent most of his time on the bench. In 1955 he joined the Pittsburgh Pirates; fans “[loved] Roberto’s bold style,” but as a Black Puerto Rican man who spoke English with an accent, he encountered bigotry. Despite his acrobatic plays, his teammates mocked him, newspapers dubbed him a showoff, and many insultingly called him “Bob.” By 1960 he was an All-Star who led the Pirates to victory in his first World Series. Although he was passed over for MVP because of racist attitudes and suffered further injustices while training with the team in segregated Florida, he finished the season with a .351 batting average and in 1961 won his first Gold Glove. Sports journalist Alonso weaves Spanish words into the story and ratchets up the narrative’s energy with play-by-play descriptions of Clemente’s athleticism. Caldecott honoree Gutierrez’s vibrant mixed-media illustrations evoke urban murals or Afro-Caribbean fabrics, pulsing with swirls, designs, and actions saturated in color and fueled by emotion. Alonso’s author’s note offers more context and emphasizes that though Clemente wasn’t the first Afro-Latine player on an American or National League team, he nevertheless made important strides.
An inspirational, fast-paced biography of a man who broke barriers for athletes of color. (timeline, glossary, translation of a quotation, selected bibliography, illustrator’s note, archival photographs, photo credits) (Picture-book biography. 7-10)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781635928112
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Calkins Creek/Astra Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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