by Kalli Dakos ; illustrated by Jimothy Oliver ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 23, 2021
Odd juxtapositions make reading this like brain freeze—unexpected and not totally enjoyable.
A teacher’s tool that reaches beyond borrowed pencils and hall passes.
Poems gathered herein cover a wide range of issues imposed on young children in school settings. Dakos handles difficult topics deftly. “Something Splendid,” a poem about a kid ripping a few legs off a daddy longlegs written in the voice of a disgusted, dismayed classmate, is poignant and penetrating. And the titular poem, in which a child ponders all the great things hiding inside him, shines because of its playful, accessible grace. However, the somber “Talking to the Mirror in My Bathroom,” in which a young girl musters the courage to disclose abuse to her school librarian, is placed beside a sweet, short rhyming verse about friendship across language barriers called “We Giggle the Same.” The shift is jarring. Topics aren’t the only thing that vary, as some poems rhyme, others don’t; some are short and sweet, others short stories. The selections—almost half from prior publications—seem to have been gathered with the publisher’s mission front of mind, suiting it best for a teacher’s class collection or a school counselor. For recreational purposes, it’s a discordant read. Oliver’s ink drawings enhance the overall book but can’t make up for the fact that a poem about a dead dog (“On the Day My Dog Died”) is placed beside the somewhat giddy short poem “Don’t Tell Me.”
Odd juxtapositions make reading this like brain freeze—unexpected and not totally enjoyable. (Poetry. 7-11)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4338-3519-3
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Magination/American Psychological Association
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
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by Hena Khan ; illustrated by Wastana Haikal ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 19, 2022
A charming contemporary story with a classic feel.
A 10 ¾-year-old girl weathers changes in her social circle—and her sense of self.
Dubbed “Queen of the Neighborhood” by beloved neighbor Mr. Chapman, who has sadly left Maryland for balmy Florida, Zara is apprehensive when a family with two kids moves into his house, potentially upsetting the delicate social balance. Readers familiar with Khan’s Zayd Saleem, Chasing the Dream books, set a few years after this series opener, will recognize the bustling Pakistani American Muslim household. Assertive, organized Zara and rambunctious 7-year-old Zayd live with their Mama and Baba; the siblings’ grandparents and uncle are integral parts of their daily lives. Zara and Zayd enjoy playing outside with their friends—Black sisters Jade and Gloria, White Alan, and Chinese American Melvin. Mr. Chapman always said that Zara knew how to “rule with grace and fairness,” but new arrivals Naomi and Michael, Jewish kids who are eager to engage socially, put this to the test. When Jamal Mamoo, Mama’s brother, brings over his Guinness World Records book, Zara decides that becoming a world-record holder is the boost her social status needs. Her humorous (and futile) attempts to make her mark ultimately lead her to being a more patient and understanding big sister and more flexible and supportive companion to friends old and new. Strong pacing, fluid prose, engaging hijinks, and heartwarming scenes of family life and outdoor play are complemented by expressive illustrations.
A charming contemporary story with a classic feel. (Fiction. 7-10)Pub Date: April 19, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-9759-7
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
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PERSPECTIVES
by Patricia Polacco ; illustrated by Patricia Polacco ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 6, 2020
Deliberately inspirational and tinged with nostalgia, this will please fans but may strike others as overly idealistic.
Veteran picture-book creator Polacco tells another story from her childhood that celebrates the importance of staying true to one’s own interests and values.
After years of spending summers with her father and grandmother, narrator Trisha is excited to be spending the school year in Michigan with them. Unexpectedly abandoned by her summertime friends, Trisha quickly connects with fellow outsiders Thom and Ravanne, who may be familiar to readers from Polacco’s The Junkyard Wonders (2010). Throughout the school year, the three enjoy activities together and do their best to avoid school bully Billy. While a physical confrontation between Thom (aka “Sissy Boy”) and Billy does come, so does an opportunity for Thom to defy convention and share his talent with the community. Loosely sketched watercolor illustrations place the story in the middle of the last century, with somewhat old-fashioned clothing and an apparently all-White community. Trisha and her classmates appear to be what today would be called middle schoolers; a reference to something Trisha and her mom did when she was “only eight” suggests that several years have passed since that time. As usual, the lengthy first-person narrative is cozily conversational but includes some challenging vocabulary (textiles, lackeys, foretold). The author’s note provides a brief update about her friends’ careers and encourages readers to embrace their own differences. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Deliberately inspirational and tinged with nostalgia, this will please fans but may strike others as overly idealistic. (Picture book. 7-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-2622-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
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