Exquisitely deep in vogue.
Voguing icon Willi Ninja (1961-2006) struts onto the dance floor in Ellison and Ali’s fierce biographic ode.
In Queens, little Willi Leake drew inspiration for his dancing from frenetic karate movies, glossy fashion magazines, and books on ancient Egypt. Encouraged by his supportive mother, who took him on frequent trips to the world-famous Apollo Theater, Willi dreamed and grew into the dancer he was meant to be. His dedication soon propelled him into the world of voguing, where a gay Black dancer could find a community of like-minded queer and trans artists. More of a triumphant arc than a comprehensive biography, Ellison’s portrait of an exuberant legend flutters with breathless enthusiasm as Willi moves from young dreamer to confident dynamo to fierce trailblazer, the narrative punctuated by the infectious cheer of “Work, Willi, work!” Communal strength becomes the final thread as Willi’s story culminates in his first ball, which showcases other Black and Latine queer and trans icons of the scene before Willi Ninja steps into the spotlight. Along the same kaleidoscopic lines, Ali’s rainbow-colored artwork accentuates Willi’s distinct contributions to vogue and dance in a series of fabulous poses and moves that positively leap off the page. An illuminating addendum following Willi’s triumph at the ball provides further biographical details, historical context on queer and trans culture during his lifetime, and a call to “dance like only you can.”
Exquisitely deep in vogue. (Picture-book biography. 6-9)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781536230086
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: yesterday
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A pivotal moment in a child’s life, at once stirring and authentically personal.
Before growing up to become a major figure in the civil rights movement, a boy finds a role model.
Buffing up a childhood tale told by her renowned father, Young Shelton describes how young Andrew saw scary men marching in his New Orleans neighborhood (“It sounded like they were yelling ‘Hi, Hitler!’ ”). In response to his questions, his father took him to see a newsreel of Jesse Owens (“a runner who looked like me”) triumphing in the 1936 Olympics. “Racism is a sickness,” his father tells him. “We’ve got to help folks like that.” How? “Well, you can start by just being the best person you can be,” his father replies. “It’s what you do that counts.” In James’ hazy chalk pastels, Andrew joins racially diverse playmates (including a White child with an Irish accent proudly displaying the nickel he got from his aunt as a bribe to stop playing with “those Colored boys”) in tag and other games, playing catch with his dad, sitting in the midst of a cheering crowd in the local theater’s segregated balcony, and finally visualizing himself pelting down a track alongside his new hero—“head up, back straight, eyes focused,” as a thematically repeated line has it, on the finish line. An afterword by Young Shelton explains that she retold this story, told to her many times growing up, drawing from conversations with Young and from her own research; family photos are also included. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A pivotal moment in a child’s life, at once stirring and authentically personal. (illustrator’s note) (Autobiographical picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-545-55465-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
