For fans fresh off the excitement of the World Cup, joyful Madlenka is back, but she’s not walking around the block—this time she’s dribbling, turning and twisting with her brand-new soccer ball. Is there anyone who can challenge her? On the way to the courtyard, Madlenka meets many worthy opponents, all of whom come to life in her irrepressible imagination. The mailbox has a chance to steal the ball, but it’s too clunky. The parking meter is more agile, but Madlenka still darts past. Can the pack of cats stop her? No way. GOAL! GOAL! GOAL! The cheer reverberates in a bursting double-page spread. Cleopatra and other friends from the block join Madlenka at the courtyard. Although this Madlenka adventure forgoes travel to exotic lands, the familiar global orientation is still shown in her multicultural playmates. A story not quite as intricate as the exuberant girl's fans might hope; nevertheless, a sweet, vuvuzela-free homage to a beloved sport around the globe. (history of soccer endnote, “soccer” pronunciation guide) (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: Sept. 28, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-374-34702-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2010
A multilayered coming-of-age story filled with exquisitely executed art.
A little boy finds his inner tiger in this lyrical picture-book debut by Choi, an award-winning author for adults.
Narrated in a thoughtful, meandering voice that mimics a long scenic drive into the mountains, a boy, his older brother, and their parents travel to a camping site at Mountain Pond, which is “like a mirror in the trees.” Throughout the trip the boy vocalizes his apprehensions about growing up and becoming a first-grader, saying he “liked kindergarten” and misses “things my mom used to do for me.” Suddenly everyone is struck silent when a tiger approaches from the temperate forest, asking for an extra tent to sleep in. The boy and the tiger quickly connect. Soon the tiger becomes the personification of the growing inner courage of the boy, participating in all the activities. The boy accomplishes new milestones: catching his first fish, steering the canoe well, and striking out on his own. Rocco provides illustrations with a cool color scheme and dramatic details. Elongated sentences demand that readers linger on each page drinking in every detail of the tiger’s striking portraits. There is a slight disconnect in tone between the whimsy of the text and the realism of the illustrations, but it is a small price to pay. The boys appear Asian or biracial Asian/white.
A multilayered coming-of-age story filled with exquisitely executed art. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: May 21, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-399-17329-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
A creative treat.
In this New Zealand import, a young Maori child in pursuit of the perfect cannonball seeks the source of confidence to jump from up high.
Doing an amazing cannonball is a source of pride in this community. The narrator, a brown-skinned child, has been studying cannonballs and learning from Nan. But once at the edge of the diving board, the will to jump fizzles. A little chant helps. Advice from all the onlookers only weighs this jumper down. When someone tells the learner “cannonballs aren’t for you,” Nan offers other advice: “Listen to your heart, to your mind….Do it your way.” When the child listens to what’s inside, a whole new world of self-expression opens up. All dressed up with flowers, feathers, and face paint, the aspiring diver shouts out loud instead of whispering the chant, then, over two spreads, flies and rolls through the air before landing with a big splash—and an appropriate celebration for the accomplishment. This distinctive story of summer fun and growth, set within a culture underrepresented on North American shelves, carries a universal message of listening to one’s own heart and being oneself when the world tries to tell you how and who to be. Morgan, who is of Maori descent, uses bright colors and creative layouts on white space and dark backgrounds to trace the child’s journey from student to star.
A creative treat. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-1756-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: April 7, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2020
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