A beautiful—if a bit cis-centric—tribute.
A watershed picture book for a watershed moment—all in time for the Stonewall uprising’s 50th anniversary.
The historic Stonewall Inn, site of the eponymous uprising (and the book’s first-person-plural narrator), originated as two separate stable houses in 1840s Greenwich Village. By 1930, the buildings were joined to become Bonnie’s Stone Wall restaurant, “a place where being different was welcomed and accepted.” 1967 saw another change—to the Stonewall Inn (a tamely depicted bar and dance club). Subsequent years saw multiple police raids targeting the establishment’s LGBTQIAP patrons. On June 28, 1969, the people finally fought back, galvanizing the LGBTQIAP rights movement. As the text carries readers from past to present, its unusual narrative perspective gives a strong sense of place and community. Sanders attempts to balance the received historical narrative with inclusivity, but his retrospective tone bears slight hints of erasure when, for example, “gay men and women” is used as a catchall phrase. Moreover, though the backmatter makes mention of the key roles of trans women of color in the uprising, the visuals instead position a white-presenting woman as a key instigator. Christoph’s digitally rendered illustrations paint a vivid, diverse portrait of both setting and community. The book concludes with photographs and an interview with Martin Boyce, a participant in the uprising.
A beautiful—if a bit cis-centric—tribute. (glossary, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: April 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5247-1952-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Visually dazzling but should be supplemented with additional resources for a more comprehensive look at Juneteenth.
An exploration of the origins of Juneteenth.
It’s June 19, 1865, and as an enslaved Texan African American child named Huldah gets ready to celebrate their 10th birthday, soldiers arrive at the plantation to inform the inhabitants that slavery has ended and in fact has been over for two years. Though the plantation owners are angry, the formerly enslaved people rush to celebrate by sewing freedom flags. Created with fabric collage, the art in this work from quilter Taylor is stunning. The craftsmanship and attention to detail are breathtaking, and in an author’s note, Taylor shares that it took her over a year to create the quilts used for the book. However, the story offers a somewhat rosy depiction of the period. Not only does Huldah know their birthday and age, they have the double luxury of celebrating the day with their mother with tea cakes. The book is also thin on factual information. While in her author’s note, Taylor describes how she learned about Juneteenth in 2014 and why she was inspired to write and illustrate this work, she doesn’t include background on this holiday or the actual Juneteenth flag, which was created in 1997 by activist Ben Haith. Those seeking a more detailed history should pair this with Juneteenth (2006) by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Drew Nelson, illustrated by Mark Schroder, and All Different Now (2014) by Angela Johnson, illustrated by E.B. Lewis. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Visually dazzling but should be supplemented with additional resources for a more comprehensive look at Juneteenth. (Historical picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-8234-5224-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
An exceptional ode to the music and art of the loom.
Intelligent rhymes and handsome folk-art patterns spin a global story of weaving through the millennia.
The narrative opens as an adult in a long black dress invites a child clothed in red (both are brown-skinned and blue-haired) to listen to the loom: “Clack. Clack. / Swish— / PULL BACK. / Bobbin and heddle, / foot pedal, no slack.” (Specialized vocabulary is defined and illustrated in a glossary.) The characters’ presence throughout, along with that of a playful blue cat, adds a personal dimension. Describing the loom’s “song” (“skeins of history / unfurled across the room…”), the text is told in first person, presented in an ABCB rhyme scheme with an appropriately lilting rhythm. A limited but vibrant gouache palette of black, blue, orange/rust/brown, forest green, and white depicts weavers throughout history and cultures—we see portrayals of the craft on Chinese porcelain, Egyptian pottery, Moorish carpets, and more. Delicate spot line art contrasts with rich color on double-page spreads for a pleasing variety. Author and artist convey technical and functional information about weaving as well as the sense of community experienced by weavers and the stories and spirit incorporated into their pieces. Ending in the third person plural, Howes speaks of the beauty, purpose, and strength of the textiles and of those who create and appreciate them: “We all are tapestries… / lifelines interlacing….” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An exceptional ode to the music and art of the loom. (author’s and illustrator’s notes, historical and cultural information on weaving) (Informational picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7806-6
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022
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