A culturally responsive picture-book critique of gender roles.
On Sundays, Varun’s grandfather takes Varun’s sister, Varsha, to dance lessons where she learns bharatanatyam, a South Asian dance style estimated to be 2,000 years old.
When Thatha invites Varun to come and watch the lesson, he doesn’t think that he’ll be interested. To Varun’s surprise, though, he finds the rhythm impossible to resist. Before long, he leaps to his feet and joins in with the other dancers. Dancing makes Varun feel wonderful—that is, until his sister tells him he has to stop because dancing is not for boys. Although Thatha objects, revealing that he used to be an accomplished dancer in India, Varun still feels uncomfortable. After all, if he did join his sister’s dance class, he would be the only boy. With a little help from Thatha, Varun musters up the courage to follow his dreams—and to prove that gender stereotypes are no match for the power of performance. This book’s charming protagonist and believable plot provide a wonderful opening for conversations about the dangers of strict gender constructs. The vibrant paintings take readers to a diverse U.S. city, cleverly incorporating details such as a Pride flag and a Black Lives Matter sign that establish a clear political tone. In this context, the author’s note disappoints, focusing on discrimination male dancers face instead of challenging the kind of toxic masculinity Varun overcomes in the story.
A culturally responsive picture-book critique of gender roles. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949528-90-9
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Yali Books
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child...
Imani endures the insults heaped upon her by the other village children, but she never gives up her dreams.
The Masai girl is tiny compared to the other children, but she is full of imagination and perseverance. Luckily, she has a mother who believes in her and tells her stories that will fuel that imagination. Mama tells her about the moon goddess, Olapa, who wins over the sun god. She tells Imani about Anansi, the trickster spider who vanquishes a larger snake. (Troublingly, the fact that Anansi is a West African figure, not of the Masai, goes unaddressed in both text and author’s note.) Inspired, the tiny girl tries to find new ways to achieve her dream: to touch the moon. One day, after crashing to the ground yet again when her leafy wings fail, she is ready to forget her hopes. That night, she witnesses the adumu, the special warriors’ jumping dance. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to jump to the moon. After jumping all day, she reaches the moon, meets Olapa and receives a special present from the goddess, a small moon rock. Now she becomes the storyteller when she relates her adventure to Mama. The watercolor-and-graphite illustrations have been enhanced digitally, and the night scenes of storytelling and fantasy with their glowing stars and moons have a more powerful impact than the daytime scenes, with their blander colors.
While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child to be admired. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-934133-57-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Mackinac Island Press
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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