A poetic collage of emotion and purpose and a vibrant testament to the power of music.
Sometimes something unexpected can guide us away from the darkest parts of ourselves into a magnificent, glorious light.
Collier delivers a visually arresting tale as simple as a peanut-butter–and-jelly sandwich yet more layered than an opera cake. A young Black boy loves his mama and daddy, and they love him right back. But the boy’s mother becomes ill, and he feels lonely. Trouble beckons in the form of friends encouraging him to accompany them as they make mischief, but each time, music somehow finds him and sets him on the right path—he overhears a young girl playing the piano, is swept up in the swells of a powerful score at the movies, and finally discovers a piano. Using stunning panels that combine rich watercolors with collage, Collier has created a character whose facial expressions and body language tell the whole story—his joy, anxiety, and promise. The author/illustrator captures that little voice inside us all, the one that calls out when we see something breathtaking. The use of light and color is superb—music is a radiant, swirling rainbow that leads the boy out of the shadows. Collier writes in an author’s note that he was inspired by Maya Angelou, Robert Frost’s “The Road Not Taken,” and Quincy Jones. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A poetic collage of emotion and purpose and a vibrant testament to the power of music. (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: June 7, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-53742-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
