A fascinating work of historical fiction that showcases a well-developed, likable protagonist and presents Cline-Ransome at...
A Great Migration novella with a vivid, believable protagonist.
When Langston’s mother dies in 1946, his father feels that Alabama has nothing left for him and moves himself and Langston to Chicago, where Negroes could make a living wage and avoid the severe discrimination so prevalent in the South. A sensitive boy who loved his mother deeply, Langston has spent so little time with his father that he doesn’t really know him. When he becomes the target of schoolyard bullies who call him “country boy,” his loneliness sends him to the George Cleveland Hall branch of the Chicago Public Library, where he learns that African-Americans are welcome, which is different from Alabama. A kind librarian helps him find books—including poetry by Langston Hughes, for whom she assumes he has been named. From snooping into letters his dad has saved, he realizes that his mother loved the poetry of Langston Hughes, which inspires him to read everything Hughes has written. Cline-Ransome creates a poignant, bittersweet story of a young black boy who comes to accept his new home while gaining newfound knowledge of the African-American literary tradition. Langston’s heartfelt, present-tense narration, which assumes a black default, gathers readers so close they’ll be sad to see his story conclude.
A fascinating work of historical fiction that showcases a well-developed, likable protagonist and presents Cline-Ransome at her best. (Historical fiction. 9-13)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3960-7
Page Count: 112
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
PERSPECTIVES
A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship.
A sixth grader’s ADHD exacerbates the loss of his best friend, stress of entering a new school, fear of disappointing his father, and anxiety over a new sibling.
“Always-late, homework-forgetting, not-many-friends, extra-disorganized” Elliott lives with his positive, supportive mother in their comfortable, welcoming home but spends weekends with his focused, organized father and stepmother in their perfectly redecorated house. Since the recent departure of his best friend, Elliott’s ADHD has caused him to nearly fail the first semester of middle school, overreact to his stepmother’s pregnancy, upset his father with “The Incident,” and start seeing a therapist. Elliott, however, loves cooking, an activity during which he’s focused, confident, decisive, and calm. Rejected by the kids he eats lunch with when it’s time to work together on a group project to develop and implement a business plan, Elliott unexpectedly ends up paired with Maribel, the smartest girl in class. When Maribel reveals she has celiac disease and Elliott explains his ADHD, they develop a delicious, gluten-free pie recipe—and their friendship blooms. Over time, Elliott applies his culinary skills, opens up about his fears, bonds with his stepmother, and connects with his father. In a droll, engaging, self-effacing, and disarmingly open voice, Elliott narrates his story, providing realistic, firsthand insights into living with ADHD. Elliott and his family read as White; Maribel is cued as Latinx, and names signal ethnic diversity in the supporting cast.
A refreshingly honest exploration of family and friendship. (recipes) (Fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0625-2
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A big, bold, engaging, and important story.
How do you cope with the unexpected moments that change everything in your world?
Until what he calls “the Mess with Mom,” sixth grader Joseph Oak and his widowed English grandmother were doing okay. Between the house Grandmum owned, the money she made cleaning houses and offices, their food stamp benefits, and Joe’s free school meals, they were getting by. But about a year ago, when Joe’s mostly absent mother got arrested, Grandmum put the house up for bail money. (Joe knows nothing about his dad.) Then Mom fled, and “BOOM!”—they were living in their car: “I felt like we were goldfish in a fishbowl.” Grandmum and Joe find an old mobile home to rent, but then, “BOOM!”—Grandmum dies, and Joe’s left on his own. Fortunately, he has two best friends who always have his back: Nick, whose mother struggles with depression and who’s been in foster care, and Francophile Hakeem, who pays for Joe’s convenience store treats. The verse format, combined with Joe’s comic book and superhero metaphors, works exceptionally well at conveying honest emotion while maintaining a sense of humor and hope. Fipps doesn’t sugarcoat poverty, nor does she romanticize it or treat it as a moral failing; instead, she provides critical representation to the many schoolchildren who are living in poverty. Joe’s courage and individuality shine on every page. Most main characters read white; Hakeem is cued African American.
A big, bold, engaging, and important story. (Verse novel. 9-13)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780593406328
Page Count: 260
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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