Diary of a (wanna-be) sporty kid.
There’s no stigma to “sitting the pine”—being relegated to the bench is all about perspective.
Middle school student Steve has played youth sports his whole life, but now he’s ready to try out for the Spiro T. Agnew Mighty Plumbers (sort of). First, he must get permission to play for the school baseball team from the Power Structure: his dad says yes, but his mom’s a “turbo-hyper-worrywart.” As long as he promises to wear a helmet at all times, he’s allowed. That done, he gets in some practice (sort of) and tries out for the team with his best friends, Carlos Diaz (slow, large, and flatulent) and Joey Linguini (tiny and fast). Tryouts are a disaster, as a line drive to another player’s face leaves Steve with a case of Bean-O-Phobia (fear of being hit in the head by a pitch). Incredibly, Steve makes the team, but he ends up on the bench with his friends. Can he survive the season, overcome his fears, and maybe inspire a smile from girl-jock Becky O’Callahan? Syndicated cartoonist Moore delivers a series debut dotted with scribbly cartoons that is sure to appeal to sports-loving, underdog, reluctant readers who will identify with protagonist Steve’s cynical yet optimistic point of view. Moore’s style doesn’t allow for much in the way of racial diversity—everybody looks white—but he does introduce some ethnic diversity with naming conventions. There is nothing new here, but it’s totally safe.
Diary of a (wanna-be) sporty kid. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: March 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-06-220330-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
A stellar collaboration that introduces an important and intriguing individual to today’s readers.
Two bestselling authors imagine the boyhood of the man who became the legendary boxing icon Muhammad Ali.
Cassius was a spirited child growing up in segregated Louisville, Kentucky. He had a loving home with his parents and younger brother, Rudy. Granddaddy Herman also was an important figure, imparting life lessons. His parents wanted him to succeed in school, but Cassius had difficulty reading and found more pleasure in playing and exploring outdoors. Early on, he and Rudy knew the restrictions of being African American, for example, encountering “Whites Only” signs at parks, but the brothers dreamed of fame like that enjoyed by Black boxer Joe Louis. Popular Cassius was especially close to Lucius “Lucky” Wakely; despite their academic differences, their deep connection remained after Lucky received a scholarship to a Catholic school. When Cassius wandered into the Columbia Boxing Gym, it seemed to be destiny, and he developed into a successful youth boxer. Told in two voices, with prose for the voice of Lucky and free verse for Cassius, the narrative provides readers with a multidimensional view of the early life of and influences on an important figure in sports and social change. Lucky’s observations give context while Cassius’ poetry encapsulates his drive, energy, and gift with words. Combined with dynamic illustrations by Anyabwile, the book captures the historical and social environment that produced Muhammad Ali.
A stellar collaboration that introduces an important and intriguing individual to today’s readers. (bibliography) (Biographical novel. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-316-49816-6
Page Count: 320
Publisher: Jimmy Patterson/Little, Brown and HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 3, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and...
Catrina narrates the story of her mixed-race (Latino/white) family’s move from Southern California to Bahía de la Luna on the Northern California coast.
Dad has a new job, but it’s little sister Maya’s lungs that motivate the move: she has had cystic fibrosis since birth—a degenerative breathing condition. Despite her health, Maya loves adventure, even if her lungs suffer for it and even when Cat must follow to keep her safe. When Carlos, a tall, brown, and handsome teen Ghost Tour guide introduces the sisters to the Bahía ghosts—most of whom were Spanish-speaking Mexicans when alive—they fascinate Maya and she them, but the terrified Cat wants only to get herself and Maya back to safety. When the ghost adventure leads to Maya’s hospitalization, Cat blames both herself and Carlos, which makes seeing him at school difficult. As Cat awakens to the meaning of Halloween and Day of the Dead in this strange new home, she comes to understand the importance of the ghosts both to herself and to Maya. Telgemeier neatly balances enough issues that a lesser artist would split them into separate stories and delivers as much delight textually as visually. The backmatter includes snippets from Telgemeier’s sketchbook and a photo of her in Día makeup.
Telgemeier’s bold colors, superior visual storytelling, and unusual subject matter will keep readers emotionally engaged and unable to put down this compelling tale. (Graphic fiction. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-545-54061-2
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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