An out-of-the-ordinary biography.
Artwork and layout reminiscent of 19th-century posters and paper dolls tell the true tale of magician Adelaide Herrmann, once known as the Queen of Magic.
“Addie never wanted to be ordinary,” states the first double-page spread, in which a little redheaded white girl in a bright orange dress and white petticoat flaunts her hoop and stick against a background of somber, sepia-toned family members. A mustachioed man, outlined so as to look like a cutout from a piece of cardboard, is clicking his cumbersome camera at the group. The next spread shows dreamy, flame-haired Addie surrounded by circus characters, and decorative text on a marching-band-member’s drum says, “Addie wanted to astonish, shock, and dazzle.” As the story progresses, Addie moves from being a prima ballerina to boldly riding a “boneshaker” (bicycle) to marrying her dream man: famous magician Alexander Herrmann. The text asserts that “Alexander was no ordinary husband. He set fire to Addie. He chopped off her head….The two of them got along splendidly.” The art makes the piece much more than simply a humorous biography of a spunky woman artist; readers get a taste of elite and artistic lives during Addie’s lifetime. Addie’s willingness to perform the feared-and-revered bullet-catching trick to retain popularity after Alex’s death is a perfect way to end the entertaining, true story.
An out-of-the-ordinary biography. (biographical research notes) (Picture book/biography. 5-9)Pub Date: April 12, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6841-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
A lovely vision for small, sensitive existentialists.
Under the desert night sky, Dad helps his child find cosmic comfort.
The vast universe has made a child feel too small despite their close family. Until, the young narrator tells us, they and their father pack their old pickup, driving through the “rubber and french fries” smell of the city and the “sweet and smoky” mountain scent to camp off-road in a remote arroyo. Together they see tiny beetle prints, jump in sand dunes, name birds, build a fire, watch the sunset, and stretch out in the truck bed. A thoughtful, small human, the child admits to being scared of “how big the universe is and how it goes on and on forever.” But equally thoughtful Dad explains that stars, beetles, birds, and even people are made of energy. Angst is not easily tamed, but snuggling and giving the constellations idiosyncratic names help, as does Mom’s back-at-home surprise: glowing stars covering the narrator’s room. In this bed under the stars, this budding philosopher finally feels “at home here in the universe.” It’s a quiet, contemplative tale that might not strike a chord with all readers but will reassure those who share the protagonist’s worries. Delicate, realistic art plays warm orange and brown hues against blues from pale to indigo, balancing (living) warmth and (interstellar) distance. The child and family are light-skinned and redheaded. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lovely vision for small, sensitive existentialists. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1239-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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
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