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WANDA THE BRAVE

Name: WANDA THE BRAVE
Author: Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni
ISBN: 978-1-62371-811-4

by Sihle-isipho Nontshokweni ; illustrated by Chantelle Thorne & Burgen Thorne ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 20, 2022

Whether a mirror or window for readers, this culturally rich story exemplifies the importance of self-advocacy.

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Sometimes kids must speak out until adults listen.

In this follow-up to Wanda (2021), co-authored by Mathabo Tlali and also set in South Africa, the protagonist and her mom go to O’Natural, a hair salon for children run by Aunty Ada. Wanda has brought a picture of a complicated, “pineapple-looking,” braided hairstyle she wants, but Aunty Ada dismisses Wanda’s wishes because the salon is busy. Aunty Ada slathers Vaseline and then cream on Wanda’s hair, and it starts to burn. She and Nkiruka, another girl, protest, but Ada tells them “ubuhle buyasetyenzelwa,” isiXhosa (a South African Bantu language) for “One works hard for beauty,” and insists that the straightening chemicals remain in their hair longer despite the pain. Both girls confide that their teachers call their hair a bird’s nest when they wear it natural, and together they sing a protest song to get Aunty Ada to wash out the relaxer. The two are successful, their determination conveying a crucial lesson both to Aunty Ada and to readers about bodily autonomy. This story sheds light on a common beauty practice of chemically straightening Black hair—a process that often causes painful scalp burns. This brightly colored picture book, dominated by pinks and purples, showcases the beauty of brown skin and natural Black hair, as well as the versatility of hair, and spotlights beauty practices common throughout the African diaspora. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Whether a mirror or window for readers, this culturally rich story exemplifies the importance of self-advocacy. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-62371-811-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Crocodile/Interlink

Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

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FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)