Sugary tales that need more spice.
A grandfather’s folksy reminiscences about his grandkids’ not-quite-ready-for-Broadway moments in school plays and other heartfelt memories.
Like countless other grandparents, Rickard cherishes the pearls of wisdom that fall from the mouths of the children in his life. In this book’s 34 short sketches, he reveals a little of what he’s learned from those grade schoolers and a lot about how much he loves them. Grandchildren Missy and Bobby (fictional names to protect the real kids) are the best, so much more fun than their parents were and the cutest ever. Stories from holidays and daily life abound. One involves that classic bit of Americana, the school play, which features Bobby as the Knight in Shining Armor and Missy as the Pink Fairy Maiden in the Glen. Grandpa carefully chooses a place to sit in the audience where he can be “supportive” yet not “mistaken” for a parent. Scenery and costumes fall down, but it doesn’t matter: “Obviously, these kids have great talent. Anybody who knows anything about show business could see that.” Sometimes Grandpa acts as provocateur—“I bet the Pilgrims didn’t have marshmallows,” he says to bait little Bobby, to which Bobby responds, “I’ll bet they did.” A little of this goes a long way, and for some readers, it may go too far. Mild raciness pops up in some awkward sex questions children will sometimes ask about “bi-logical clocks” or about a friend whose parents were going to “Splitsville” or the many-times-married Aunt Maggie’s role as a “family skeleton.” Otherwise, the collection consists mostly of cloyingly sweet tales—the sort of stories that are more fun to tell than listen to. Experienced grandparents can laugh at each other’s fascination with their own special grandkids, and this book could have used more of that spirit. Missy and Bobby are lucky to have an adult in their lives who takes so much interest in their adventures, but other grandparents may protest that Missy’s and Bobby’s activities are no more remarkable than those of their own grandchildren.
Sugary tales that need more spice.Pub Date: July 18, 2012
ISBN: 978-1477568972
Page Count: 142
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Oct. 5, 2012
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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