by Micah Kolding ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 25, 2020
A delightfully funny and warmhearted friendship tale.
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A mermaid’s friends find a way to include her in a soccer game in this picture book.
Six friends of various races love to hang out together in a clubhouse and play tabletop or video games: James, the story’s narrator; Eric; Duran; Santiago; Bran; and Kris, the only girl, who also happens to be a mermaid. After the clubhouse ceiling falls down, the cohorts turn to outdoor games, but Kris can’t manage them; in football, for example, “when tackled, she slips twenty yards.” When a rival crew shows up and challenges them to soccer, James insists that Kris won’t just cheer from the sidelines: “She’s in, and she’ll play, and we’ll win!” Hanging from the goal’s top pole, Kris uses her powerful tail to block almost every ball, handing her team a decisive victory. Kolding tells his story in rollicking verse that scans and rhymes well, with some amusing nonsense, such as the game of “Flurmasmic Pageezans.” In addition, the book teaches a subtle but effective lesson about inclusivity and friendship. The characters might be older than the intended audience, with James planning to take Kris to a dance, but readers are unlikely to mind. The uncredited digital illustrations have kinetic verve that matches the text’s energy.
A delightfully funny and warmhearted friendship tale.Pub Date: Jan. 25, 2020
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: 27
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: May 5, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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by Katheryn Russell-Brown ; illustrated by Frank Morrison ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2014
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)
Bewitched by the rhythms of jazz all around her in Depression-era Kansas City, little Melba Doretta Liston longs to make music in this fictional account of a little-known jazz great.
Picking up the trombone at 7, the little girl teaches herself to play with the support of her Grandpa John and Momma Lucille, performing on the radio at 8 and touring as a pro at just 17. Both text and illustrations make it clear that it’s not all easy for Melba; “The Best Service for WHITES ONLY” reads a sign in a hotel window as the narrative describes a bigotry-plagued tour in the South with Billie Holiday. But joy carries the day, and the story ends on a high note, with Melba “dazzling audiences and making headlines” around the world. Russell-Brown’s debut text has an innate musicality, mixing judicious use of onomatopoeia with often sonorous prose. Morrison’s sinuous, exaggerated lines are the perfect match for Melba’s story; she puts her entire body into her playing, the exaggerated arch of her back and thrust of her shoulders mirroring the curves of her instrument. In one thrilling spread, the evening gown–clad instrumentalist stands over the male musicians, her slide crossing the gutter while the back bow disappears off the page to the left. An impressive discography complements a two-page afterword and a thorough bibliography.
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60060-898-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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by Anne Rockwell ; illustrated by Lizzy Rockwell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 25, 2018
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share
Mother-daughter author-illustrator team Anne (who passed away in April 2018) and Lizzy Rockwell have crafted a quiet story that positively portrays a black family spending time in nature. While this shouldn’t be a news flash in 2018, it is.
A black family—mom, dad, and daughter—drives 20 minutes away from their suburb for a day hike up Hickory Hill, where they enjoy the flora, fauna, and autumnal changes. The higher they climb, the sparser the vegetation becomes until they reach the summit and take in the expansive views. This picture book offers a rare snapshot of a family of color spending quality family time in the woods. Since they think they are lost at one point, perhaps they have not hiked often, but this does not dampen their enthusiasm. Several animals make an appearance in the watercolor illustrations, done in a soft, mostly pastel palette, including a porcupine, birds, a deer, a chipmunk, and a toad. The young female narrator describes the woodpecker she sees as redheaded; this, too, suggests that she hasn’t done much bird-watching since the bird is a pileated woodpecker, and a kid who had grown up birding would know it by both sound and sight. Still, readers will appreciate the daughter’s delight as she chooses the trail to hike and really notices her surroundings.
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2737-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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