A gem of Coast Salish storytelling.
Thuqi’, a resourceful sockeye salmon, gets lost on her way to Sta’lo’, the ancestral spawning river.
Thuqi’ swims through Leeyqsun (“the place of many Douglas firs”) and Tth’hwumqsun (“the Shining Point”). When she asks Tumus the otter for help, he brushes her aside. Left to fend for herself, she draws on the love of her family and ancestors to keep her focused. Thuqi’ and Tumus cross paths again—this time, because Tumus has become turned around in the dark water and demands help in getting home. Though Tumus had little compassion for Thuqi’, the empathetic fish realizes how alone he must feel. She decides to accompany him home, and her generous spirit sparks regret in the once-selfish otter. In return, Tumus steers Thuqi’ in the right direction, and the fish learns that “no matter what [happens], her kindness and her bravery [will] help her find a way.” Drawing on Coast Salish storytelling and artistic techniques, Fritz (Lyackson First Nation) has crafted a heartwarming tale that encourages readers to persevere despite uncertainty. Her bright, flat artwork makes intriguing use of geometric shapes, and she thoughtfully weaves Hul’q’umi’num’ words (defined in an appended glossary) into the text. If, as Fritz puts it in her foreword, “storytelling is a basic building block of a healthy community,” then Coast Salish culture is safe in her deft hands. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gem of Coast Salish storytelling. (language guide, information on learning Hul’q’umi’num’, online resources) (Picture book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781459836211
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode.
A long-running series reaches its closing chapters.
Having, as Kline notes in her warm valedictory acknowledgements, taken 30 years to get through second and third grade, Harry Spooger is overdue to move on—but not just into fourth grade, it turns out, as his family is moving to another town as soon as the school year ends. The news leaves his best friend, narrator “Dougo,” devastated…particularly as Harry doesn’t seem all that fussed about it. With series fans in mind, the author takes Harry through a sort of last-day-of-school farewell tour. From his desk he pulls a burned hot dog and other items that featured in past episodes, says goodbye to Song Lee and other classmates, and even (for the first time ever) leads Doug and readers into his house and memento-strewn room for further reminiscing. Of course, Harry isn’t as blasé about the move as he pretends, and eyes aren’t exactly dry when he departs. But hardly is he out of sight before Doug is meeting Mohammad, a new neighbor from Syria who (along with further diversifying a cast that began as mostly white but has become increasingly multiethnic over the years) will also be starting fourth grade at summer’s end, and planning a written account of his “horrible” buddy’s exploits. Finished illustrations not seen.
A fitting farewell, still funny, acute, and positive in its view of human nature even in its 37th episode. (Fiction. 7-9)Pub Date: Nov. 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-451-47963-1
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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