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THE WALK

Name: THE WALK
Author: Winsome Bingham
ISBN: 9781419747724

by Winsome Bingham ; illustrated by E.B. Lewis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2023

This lovely introduction to an essential topic will be a new classic.

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A Black child’s walk with Granny is a neighborhood event when the destination is the voting booth.

Granny is taking her grandchild on “THE WALK,” but she doesn’t say where they are going—only that “there’s a few treasured souls coming, too.” With a backpack, water, and sandwiches, the young narrator and Granny “WALK ON,” stopping at a neighbor’s house, the barber shop, and Mrs. Wong’s. At each stop, the child wonders if they’ve reached their destination, but instead, more people from the neighborhood join their walk. At last, the crowd arrives at the child’s school—but there’s no school today. Granny reveals the reason all these “treasured souls” have walked all this way: “for hope” and to “speak up.” Bingham effectively carries readers through an important yet simple event while conveying its significance as a milestone for an individual, a family, a community, and a nation. The child’s-eye view of the day, clear prose, and strong relationships between characters make this an engrossing read, while statements about injustice are communicated subtly in comments between adult characters and the length of the walk itself—layers that can be unpacked with children who are ready to learn more. Lewis’ work is at its best here; detailed watercolor paintings immerse readers in the life of a multicultural community on a bright day. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This lovely introduction to an essential topic will be a new classic. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023

ISBN: 9781419747724

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Abrams

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
SOUL FOOD SUNDAY
by Winsome Bingham ; illustrated by Charles G. Esperanza

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JUST BECAUSE

by Matthew McConaughey illustrated by Renée Kurilla ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2023

Charming and thought-provoking proof that we all contain multitudes.

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Oscar winner McConaughey offers intriguing life observations.

The series of pithy, wry comments, each starting with the phrase “Just because,” makes clear that each of us is a mass of contradictions: “Just because we’re friends, / doesn’t mean you can’t burn me. / Just because I’m stubborn, / doesn’t mean that you can’t turn me.” Witty, digitally rendered vignettes portray youngsters diverse in terms of race and ability (occasionally with pets looking on) dealing with everything from friendship drama to a nerve-wracking footrace. “Just because I’m dirty, / doesn’t mean I can’t get clean” is paired with an image of a youngster taking a bath while another character (possibly an older sibling) sits nearby, smiling. “Just because you’re nice, / doesn’t mean you can’t get mean” depicts the older one berating the younger one for tracking mud into the house. The artwork effectively brings to life the succinct, rhyming text and will help readers make sense of it. Perhaps, after studying the illustrations and gaining further insight into the comments, kids will reread and reflect upon them further. The final page unites the characters from earlier pages with a reassuring message for readers: “Just because the sun has set, / doesn’t mean it will not rise. / Because every day is a gift, / each one a new surprise. BELIEVE IT.” As a follow-up, readers should be encouraged to make their own suggestions to complete the titular phrase. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Charming and thought-provoking proof that we all contain multitudes. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023

ISBN: 9780593622032

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)