A poetic tribute to the sustaining power of the Black Church. Free verse celebrates the institution in its many incarnations from its beginnings on the plantations (when “she was / invisible . . . / her roof nightsky, / her flooring Godgrown pastures walled by woods . . . ”) and emphasizing the leaders and artists it has nurtured. Bolden’s (And Not Afraid to Dare, 1998) language is frequently labored, employing an unfortunate inverted syntax—“Multitudes she has mothered / in times of dense distress . . . ” and “wasn’t it she who raised in singles / and change much money”—that can stop readers in their tracks in order to decipher the meaning. Nevertheless, the work retains a heartfelt passion for its subject that is genuinely inspiring: “When we were the not-alloweds / and go-to-the-back-door people, / she was a warm place to be. . . . ” Christie’s (DeShawn Days, p. 868) bright, primitive-looking illustrations are bursting with expressive energy: on one page an old woman stares out through her glasses, challenging the reader to pity her; on another, members of a congregation raise their hands in glad chorus. Notes on the historical events or personages alluded to in the poem appear at the end with thumbnails of the relevant illustrations; an author’s note explains the genesis of the poem itself. Although somewhat ungainly at times, it’s ultimately moving. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2001
ISBN: 0-679-89485-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2001
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In perceptive, skillfully composed color photos captioned with a brief text, a realistic portrait of seven-year-old Norman and his life year-round. Kendall's outstanding photos are the strength here. Norman is winsomely photogenic; portraits of older family members suggest complex characters and experience: an adult brother is alert but reserved; a sturdy grandmother has a no-nonsense face mellowed by warmly twinkling eyes. The village of Shishmaret (clearly located on a map) is observed in winter's half-light and on a bright day when snow covers the ground and dogs are tethered everywhere, with utilitarian houses clustered together (no igloos). Norman is also shown at school, fishing, and going to the nearest dentist in an airplane. The text is serviceable, though sometimes written down (why not say what Norman's mother is cutting, instead of calling it ``something''?). But a succinct afterword on ``Modern-day Eskimos'' is telling in its description of rapid changes that have left many English-speaking children unable to converse in a common language with their own grandparents. A note on the photos is welcome, especially for its explanation of a time photo of the night sky including an aurora. Less prettified than Keegan's photo essays on Native Americans (Pueblo Boy, 1991); like Aylette Jenness's book about a Yup'ik family (In Two Worlds, 1989, for older children), excellent source material. Pronouncing glossary of 21 Inupiaqu words. (Nonfiction. 5-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-590-43695-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 1992
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The Russian-American team whose 1989 collaboration, Here Comes the Cat, was ``the first Soviet/American children's book'' elaborates the story of the town mouse and the country mouse, setting it within another story about two present-day mouse brothers fascinated by letters they find in the attic of their farmhouse. The correspondence, which they enjoy reading late at night in their bunk beds by flashlight, is between their great- great-grandfather and his brother, who had moved to the city. The letters tell how each brother gets engaged and then married; other mild adventures serve to contrast their lifestyles. Meanwhile, past and present are also compared—the older mice address each other with affection but more formality, while the younger ones trade casual insults despite their underlying friendship; the meticulously designed illustrations for the present are as crisp and bright as color photos, while the letters are enlivened with marginal illustrations in a more informal style. Nicely contrived to point out that people who lead very different lives can still care about one another, and that family history can be intriguing. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: March 1, 1992
ISBN: 0-590-43107-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 1992
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