edited by Myra Cohn Livingston & illustrated by Leonard Everett Fisher ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 15, 1992
Seventeen poems on whales, interestingly varied in tone though somewhat uneven in quality. Beginning with Ciardi's humorous explanation of ``Why Noah Praised the Whale'' (he didn't have to feed it) and several other amusing entries, the collection moves on to mothers and babies, whale songs (Yolen's ``Sea Canary''), some Native American verse about hunting, and a somber conclusion: di Pasquale's ``Stranding,'' Tony Johnston's ``Beached,'' and Lilian Moore's ``The Whale Ghost'' (``When we've emptied/the sea of the/last great/whale...''). The five specially commissioned poems are among the weakest (the muse is never easy to command). Still, as a whole, this is an effective and thoughtful tribute, with Fisher's handsome full-bleed paintings as a noble complement to the verse: the huge, streamlined whales and the subtle contrasts between their rich, dark hues and the deep undersea blue-greens are wonderfully suited to his monumental style and elegantly simple compositions. (Poetry/Picture book. 7+)
Pub Date: Oct. 15, 1992
ISBN: 0-8234-0940-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 1992
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by Myra Cohn Livingston & illustrated by Kees de Kiefte
by John Schu ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 19, 2024
A sensitive, true-to-life narrative that is respectfully and indelibly portrayed.
This coming-of-age novel in verse depicts one boy’s harrowing experiences with his eating disorder in the late 1990s.
Jake Stacey loves rollerblading, Emily Dickinson, Broadway shows, and his grandmother, but he’s not well. Jake has been starving himself since seventh grade—and concerned adults in his life have caught on. They admit Jake against his will to an inpatient program, where he’s treated for anorexia nervosa, depression, and OCD. Jake’s striking first-person voice and the ups and downs of his emotional journey toward healing are centered through a variety of poetic forms and styles, as well as journal entries and confessions Jake makes to an angel statue at a park. Jake experiences grief, gets a feeding tube, confronts horrifying memories of bullying, learns to talk back to “the Voice” of his disorder, befriends another patient, and embraces known and emerging parts of himself without over-explanation or exoticization. The emphasis on internal contradictions and the carefully rendered ending, hinting at hope without promising certainty of recovery, are especially honest and notable. Secondary characters are less well developed, and the middle of the book drags at times. A note from the author, who is white, reveals that Jake’s story is inspired by his own. While Jake, who turns 14 while in treatment, reflects on his emotionally intense tween experiences, his goal setting is relevant to older teens and includes milestones like getting a driver’s license and attending college.
A sensitive, true-to-life narrative that is respectfully and indelibly portrayed. (resources) (Verse fiction. 11-18)Pub Date: March 19, 2024
ISBN: 9781536229097
Page Count: 528
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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by John Schu ; illustrated by Lauren Castillo
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by Gwendolyn Brooks & illustrated by Faith Ringgold ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 1, 2007
Brooks’s gloriously universal celebration of African-American childhood here receives a respectful and joyous treatment from one of the pre-eminent illustrators of the same. Readers coming to “Narcissa,” “Beulah at Church” and “Marie Lucille” for the first time will discover them accompanied by Ringgold’s trademark folk-art interpretations, the expressive brown figures depicted for the most part as vignettes against bright backgrounds. They show a Bronzeville that bustles with activity, single-family homes sharing the streets with apartment buildings and the occasional vacant lot. The children run, braids and arms out straight, and contemplate in turns, their exuberance tempered by the solemnity of childhood. While it’s regrettable that occasionally the specificity of the illustration robs a verse of its universality—the “special place” referenced in “Keziah” is shown to be underneath the kitchen table, for instance—the overall ebullience of the images more than compensates. There is a drop of truth in every single playful, piercing stanza, and anything that brings these poems to a new audience is to be cheered; a lovely package indeed. (Picture book/poetry. 7+)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2007
ISBN: 0-06-029505-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2006
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