A delightful story of friendship, family, and upended expectations.
A soon-to-be tween has big plans for her eighth birthday.
Marya Khan can’t stand that Alexa R. was born two days before her. Alexa, her rich neighbor who wears gorgeous outfits (“Who even wears fancy dresses to school?”) and carries a glittery unicorn backpack, always has a big party for her birthday. Marya, on the other hand, observes the day by having pizza and cake with her family and her best friend, Hanna. Jealousy rears its ugly yet understandable head, and after seeing a girl on TV with henna on her hands, Marya decides she wants to throw an epic henna party. But her plan of buttering up her family with Operation Help the Khans keeps getting messed up, leading to mayhem, fun, and lots of shattered hopes, which make up for the slightly predictable ending. There’s so much to love about Marya. She’s spunky, persistent, and resourceful. Her best friend is supportive, her family exasperatingly adorable, and Alexa a worthy nemesis—though Faruqi makes clear that much of what makes her irritating is in Marya’s head. Each chapter is prefaced with an excerpt from Marya’s “Word of the Day” diary, offering a glimpse of what’s going to unfold next. Bushry’s charming black-and-white illustrations enhance this breezy read. Marya and her family are Pakistani American and Muslim; Alexa appears light-skinned in the artwork, while Hanna is tan-skinned.
A delightful story of friendship, family, and upended expectations. (Chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-6116-4
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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