Let this winning pair sashay onto your shelf.
Sparkle is serious business—and so are storytimes.
Tori's father is scheduled to be the class mystery reader today—an event that initially makes Tori feel elated, but as Daddy gets dressed, emotions shift from joy to apprehension. Daddy is a drag queen who goes by the moniker Miss Rita, and Tori is afraid that their classmates won't love Miss Rita as much as they do. Thankfully, drag queens are used to thinking on their feet, and with the right words of comfort, Miss Rita reminds Tori that everyone wears different clothes for work. This, and the antics of Tori's pet cats—named for queer activists Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson—raises Tori's spirits and inspires them to transform into "Miss Tori Teller," a fabulously dressed assistant in a bow tie and a silvery skirt. The story is amusing and reads well. Drag performers should have this at the tops of their lists for drag-themed storytimes for the next several years—and a talented storyteller will be able to milk this for all it's worth. The digital illustrations are slightly generic—a terrible thing in drag—but the realistic depiction of Miss Rita as a middle-aged parent as opposed to an overfiltered drag fantasy is commendable. Tori and Daddy are light-skinned with dark hair; the students have a range of skin tones and hair textures. There's no mystery here; Miss Rita is going to werk all Pride Month! (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Let this winning pair sashay onto your shelf. (author's note) (Picture book. 6-10)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-77476-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
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
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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