Dry, dispirited, and unlikely to tempt armchair travelers to bestir themselves.
Comparative profiles of 12 historical sites now and in their heydays, from Stonehenge to Macchu Picchu.
“Wonder” is conspicuously absent from this random, perfunctory, nigh-on-depressive archaeological tour that begins with the Great Pyramid at Giza and goes on in no discernible order. The entries mix staid, mechanically drawn, almost uniformly drab views of each site’s main structures now and in the past with narrative commentary. Rather than illuminating the lives or cultures of ancient builders, the text too often runs to equally bland bonbons: “There are frequent buses to and from Cairo”; “Angkor Wat is very important to the Cambodian people.” The entries are reasonably diverse of age and locale (four are European) as well as type: Along with the “lost” city of Petra and other ruins, the moai of Easter Island march in turn, as do the terra-cotta warriors of Qin Shih Huang. All of the large-format spreads feature big, shaped flaps and single or double gatefolds. But for every case where these are used to dramatic visual effect, such as a “now and then” of the Roman Colosseum (and even that is shown in a diagrammatic style), elsewhere lifting the flaps reveals no more than schematic alternatives to compare (the Parthenon), a smaller reconstruction set to one side (Stonehenge, Chichén Itzá), or just more images and bits of information (Petra, “Cleopatra’s Sunken City”).
Dry, dispirited, and unlikely to tempt armchair travelers to bestir themselves. (Informational novelty. 8-13)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-78701-340-7
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Lonely Planet
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy.
Through the author’s own childhood diary entries, a seventh grader details her inner life before and after 9/11.
Alyssa’s diary entries start in September 2000, in the first week of her seventh grade year. She’s 11 and dealing with typical preteen concerns—popularity and anxiety about grades—along with other things more particular to her own life. She’s shuffling between Queens and Manhattan to share time between her divorced parents and struggling with thick facial hair and classmates who make her feel like she’s “not a whole person” due to her mixed White and Puerto Rican heritage. Alyssa is endlessly earnest and awkward as she works up the courage to talk to her crush, Alejandro; gushes about her dreams of becoming a shoe designer; and tries to solve her burgeoning unibrow problem. The diaries also have a darker side, as a sense of impending doom builds as the entries approach 9/11, especially because Alyssa’s father works in finance in the World Trade Center. As a number of the diary entries are taken directly from the author’s originals, they effortlessly capture the loud, confusing feelings middle school brings out. The artwork, in its muted but effective periwinkle tones, lends a satisfying layer to the diary’s accessible and delightful format.
An authentic and moving time capsule of middle school angst, trauma, and joy. (author's note) (Graphic memoir. 8-13)Pub Date: Aug. 17, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-250-77427-9
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf