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: April 1, 2026
PERSPECTIVES
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 unique angle on a watershed moment in the civil rights era.
The New Orleans school child who famously broke the color line in 1960 while surrounded by federal marshals describes the early days of her experience from a 6-year-old’s perspective.
Bridges told her tale to younger children in 2009’s Ruby Bridges Goes to School, but here the sensibility is more personal, and the sometimes-shocking historical photos have been replaced by uplifting painted scenes. “I didn’t find out what being ‘the first’ really meant until the day I arrived at this new school,” she writes. Unfrightened by the crowd of “screaming white people” that greets her at the school’s door (she thinks it’s like Mardi Gras) but surprised to find herself the only child in her classroom, and even the entire building, she gradually realizes the significance of her act as (in Smith’s illustration) she compares a small personal photo to the all-White class photos posted on a bulletin board and sees the difference. As she reflects on her new understanding, symbolic scenes first depict other dark-skinned children marching into classes in her wake to friendly greetings from lighter-skinned classmates (“School is just school,” she sensibly concludes, “and kids are just kids”) and finally an image of the bright-eyed icon posed next to a soaring bridge of reconciliation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A unique angle on a watershed moment in the civil rights era. (author and illustrator notes, glossary) (Autobiographical picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-75388-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
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