by Walter Dean Myers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 1987
An intellectual and emotional workbook for teen-agers on the subject of pregnancy. The author gives each of his 14 fictional characters (five unwed mothers, five fathers, four family members or other interested parties) a chapter to describe his or her response to sudden parenthood. The characters have urban, lower-middle-class backgrounds, are mostly black or Hispanic, and face the situation with varying realistic combinations of confusion, fear, anger, hope and indifference. Myers tries to be nonjudgmental, but few of the men display courage or a sense of responsibility, and the one woman who has an abortion becomes unstable. The narratives are tenuously linked together, and finished with a "Seven Years Later" epilogue, but plot definitely takes a back seat to didactic purpose. Each chapter ends with several blank ruled pages: readers are invited to think about what they've just read and to write (on their own paper if they're reading a library copy) a relevant letter, daydream or essay. There's no physical violence or drug abuse here, but these tales are nonetheless very scary, and adolescent readers will find them involving and disturbing.
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 1987
ISBN: 0915924153
Page Count: 146
Publisher: Teachers & Writers
Review Posted Online: Oct. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1987
Share your opinion of this book
More by Walter Dean Myers
BOOK REVIEW
by Walter Dean Myers ; illustrated by Floyd Cooper
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Walter Dean Myers ; adapted by Guy A. Sims ; illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Sandra Equihua ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
adapted by Hannah Eliot ; illustrated by Nivea Ortiz
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
More by Chloe Perkins
BOOK REVIEW
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova
BOOK REVIEW
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2017
Playful, engaging, and full of opportunities for empathy—a raucous storytime hit.
Readers try to dislodge a monster from the pages of this emotive and interactive read-aloud.
“OH NO!” the story starts. “There’s a monster in your book!” The blue, round-headed monster with pink horns and a pink-tipped tail can be seen cheerfully munching on the opening page. “Let’s try to get him out,” declares the narrator. Readers are encouraged to shake, tilt, and spin the book around, while the monster careens around an empty background looking scared and lost. Viewers are exhorted to tickle the monster’s feet, blow on the page, and make a really loud noise. Finally, shockingly, it works: “Now he’s in your room!” But clearly a monster in your book is safer than a monster in your room, so he’s coaxed back into the illustrations and lulled to sleep, curled up under one page and cuddling a bit of another like a child with their blankie. The monster’s entirely cute appearance and clear emotional reactions to his treatment add to the interactive aspect, and some young readers might even resist the instructions to avoid hurting their new pal. Children will be brought along on the monster’s journey, going from excited, noisy, and wiggly to calm and steady (one can hope).
Playful, engaging, and full of opportunities for empathy—a raucous storytime hit. (Picture book. 2-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5247-6456-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Tom Fletcher
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott
More by Tom Fletcher
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Tom Fletcher
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Fletcher ; illustrated by Greg Abbott
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.