A story with a clear message and smart coverage of a timely topic.
A girl learns a lesson about not sharing her online passwords in this picture book from cybersecurity professional Kemal.
Eight-year-old Elham loves playing games on Zokanda, an online platform that uses Coin, a virtual currency, for special in-game features. But when she takes a suspicious online survey to earn Coin, she has to provide her username and password, and soon she’s locked out of the game. At first, she doesn’t want to tell her mom, but she remembers how her parent saved the day when her older brother was hacked. They come up with strategies to keep Elham’s account more secure—and to help her make better choices. Elham then dreams of being a cybersecurity expert who helps other kids. Kemal uses the experiences and names of her children to create a realistic cautionary tale. It employs accessible vocabulary in a child’s voice, and the message feels more like receiving advice from a friend than being scolded. In semirealistic cartoon illustrations, Izmaylova depicts Kemal and her family, who are Black, with a keen eye for details of their Ethiopian Muslim heritage; both the mom and the older version of Elham are shown wearing hijabs.
A story with a clear message and smart coverage of a timely topic.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73777-592-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Move over Ramona Quimby, Portland has another neighbor you have to meet!
Ryan Hart is navigating the fourth grade and all its challenges with determination.
Her mom named her Ryan because it means “king,” and she wanted Ryan to feel powerful every time she heard her name; Ryan knows it means she is a leader. So when changes occur or disaster strikes, budding chef Ryan does her best to find the positive and “make sunshine.” When her dad is laid off from the post office, the family must make adjustments that include moving into a smaller house, selling their car, and changing how they shop for groceries. But Ryan gets to stay at Vernon Elementary, and her mom still finds a way to get her the ingredients she needs to practice new recipes. Her older brother, Ray, can be bossy, but he finds little ways to support her, especially when she is down—as does the whole family. Each episodic chapter confronts Ryan with a situation; intermittently funny, frustrating, and touching, they should be familiar and accessible to readers, as when Ryan fumbles her Easter speech despite careful practice. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and Watson continues to bring visibility to both Portland, Oregon, generally and its Black community specifically, making another wonderful contribution that allows Black readers to see themselves and all readers to find a character they can love.
Move over Ramona Quimby, Portland has another neighbor you have to meet! (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0056-4
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit.
A new baby coming means Ryan has lots of opportunities to grow love.
Ryan has so much to look forward to this summer—she is going to be a big sister, and she finally gets to go to church camp! But new adventures bring challenges, too. Ryan feels like the baby is taking forever to arrive, and with Mom on bed rest, she isn’t able to participate in the family’s typical summer activities. Ryan’s Dad is still working the late shift, which means he gets home and goes to bed when she and her older brother, Ray, are waking up, so their quality daddy-daughter time is limited to one day a week. When the time for camp finally arrives, Ryan is so worried about bugs, ghosts, and sharing a cabin that she wonders if she should go at all. Watson’s heroine is smart and courageous, bringing her optimistic attitude to any challenge she faces. Hard topics like family finances and complex relationships with friends are discussed in an age-appropriate way. Watson continues to excel at crafting a sense of place; she transports readers to Portland, Oregon, with an attention to detail that can only come from someone who has loved that city. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and occasional illustrations by Mata spotlight their joy and make this book shine.
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit. (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0058-8
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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