A tender introduction to the discipline and community that running provides its athletes.
A runner’s high is an exhilarating mix of relief and tenacity.
Running is largely a solitary and quiet activity, combining muscle memory and mental strength. A race puts this book’s protagonist, who has light-brown skin and straight, black hair in a ponytail, together with other runners; all present female. She lines up at the start, runs at her own pace, and finishes strong. Her friends and teammates, a merry band of casually diverse girls, are supportive, yet the text understands that the girl’s race is hers alone. What Morelli and Diaz do remarkably well is show what the girl thinks about and sees with each step and how that fuels her to keep going and not give up. Diaz’s illustrations prove that anyone who runs has a runner’s body; the stereotypical vision of what a runner looks like is a misconception. In the middle of the book are two illustrations that leave lasting impressions: The first abruptly ends the soft images seen heretofore when the girl falls and scrapes her knee; a stark, almost aggressive smear of blood is rendered with sharp, jagged lines. In the second, the girl breaks the fourth wall and stares out at readers. Her gaze is so straightforward and penetrating that it’s almost startling, yet it feels simultaneously compelling, daring readers to look away first. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 48.6% of actual size.)
A tender introduction to the discipline and community that running provides its athletes. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-88448-780-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
A solid sequel, easily accessible to readers who missed Volume 1.
A fictionalized young Shaquille O'Neal returns for a second illustrated story about life beyond the basketball court.
Little Shaq and his cousin Barry come home from the rec center giddy about Little Shaq's first three-point shot but are greeted with another surprise. For the first time, Little Shaq's mom has made sushi for a family dinner. Barry and the others dig in, but Little Shaq's curiosity about sushi only hits him after the last roll is gone. Little Shaq's joy and confidence on the court—best expressed when Little Shaq exuberantly tosses a postgame grape into Barry's mouth ("Three points!")—contrast strongly with his unease trying new foods or activities. A large part of the book concerns a school art project, and Little Shaq's frustration is made poignantly clear through both illustration and description ("Little Shaq crumpled up his drawing and marched back to the supply tables"). Throughout, the love among Little Shaq's family members shines through in their interactions, and the story delivers a message without triteness. Taylor’s full-color illustrations break up text on almost every page, adding warmth and energy. (Final art not seen.)
A solid sequel, easily accessible to readers who missed Volume 1. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61963-844-0
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
A conflict-resolution story that may well inspire young sports lovers to garden—or young gardeners to pick up a basketball.
An argument between Little Shaq and his cousin Barry turns the two young basketball players into gardeners.
After Little Shaq makes a spectacular play in a basketball game at the rec center, Barry storms away mad. Astute readers will, like Little Shaq's next-door neighbor Rosa, recognize Barry's reason before Little Shaq does: rather than pass the ball to Barry when he called for it, Little Shaq ignored him, keeping the fun and the glory for himself. When Little Shaq's self-centered behavior rears its head again in a video gaming session, Barry throws his controller in frustration, breaking the game disc. After a fortuitous gardening lesson at school and an intervention by Little Shaq's dad, the boys launch a plan together to earn money for a replacement game. The boys' pride in their work shines through both the text and the artwork, and the basic elements of planting and watering are conveyed simply and effectively. There are lively, full-color illustrations throughout, some full-page, many playfully interspersed with the text. A community gathering to refurbish the rec center's garden—and eat a neighbor's homegrown tomato salsa—provides a feel-good finale to this above-average celebrity vehicle.
A conflict-resolution story that may well inspire young sports lovers to garden—or young gardeners to pick up a basketball. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61963-7214
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
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