Five seventh-grade winners of a writing competition are required to form a creative writing workshop where their diversity—which at first makes them unwilling, even hostile, collaborators—eventually draws them together as friends. For protagonist Libby, who is the granddaughter of a famous local novelist—and who has been taught at home until this year when her remarkable family of five adults has decided that it's time for her to be "socialized"—each of the others is a threat: G.G., whose bullying is paralleled by the violence in his stories; Alex, who can't "write" and goes to a special class, but who proves to be a gifted satirist; obstreperous, punk Tierney, whose hard-boiled detective stories aren't meant to be parodies; even cheerleader Wendy, who writes trite romances but whose niceness turns out to be real. As the five learn to give and accept constructive criticism, they also begin to respect each other's gifts; by the time their advisor is hospitalized, the group has become so important that they continue meeting privately, in the fabulous treehouse built by Libby's granddad. The characters here are pungent and believable, their interaction well-realized. Revealing details—Libby's extensive collections, kept in the servants' quarters of the old family mansion; the stories read at the workshop sessions—meld with a carefully paced story that comes to a climax when the others dramatically rescue G.G. from his abusive father, but that also thoughtfully explores the enriching value of diversity—and demonstrates, along the way, how to use words to reflect it. A grand, multileveled novel.
Pub Date: March 1, 1990
ISBN: 0440404983
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1990
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Earnest and well meaning but not quite a touchdown.
In Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Hurts’ motivational picture book, a youngster rebounds from disappointment.
As Jalen heads off on his first day of school, he daydreams about joining the football team, but his friend Trey soon breaks the bad news. The garden club needed more space for vegetables, so the football field was used for planting. There will be no football this year. Jalen is despondent, but his teachers Mrs. Lee and Mr. Barry and bodega owner Mr. Muhammad offer guidance that spurs him and his friends into positive action. They work to flip a nearby empty lot into a football field, with Jalen echoing his mentors’ adages. Once the field is complete, Jalen feels a swell of pride in his and his friends’ work. While the idea of kids working together to effect change is a laudable one, the bland, wordy storytelling won’t inspire young people or hold their attention. Tired, cliched inspirational comments peppered throughout often slow down the narrative, and many adult readers will find the premise—a school dropping a high-interest sports program in favor of a community garden—wildly unrealistic. Though the illustrations are colorful, with a Disney Junior charm, strange stylistic choices, such as signs with odd combinations of scribbles instead of letters, give them an unpolished look. Like Hurts, Jalen is Black; his community is diverse.
Earnest and well meaning but not quite a touchdown. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 10, 2026
ISBN: 9798217040308
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2026
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.
In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.
Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063357549
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
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