Leave this substance-free Barbie in the box.
Mattel unveiled the iconic Barbie doll at the 1959 Toy Fair, but her journey there was not all smooth sailing.
Ruth Handler, a white woman, came up with the idea for Barbie by watching her daughter play with paper dolls that looked more grown-up than her baby dolls. In what could be the most provocative and provoking spread, Ruth pitches Barbie to a team of evidently all-white, male designers at “Ruth and her husband’s toy company,” who say that the idea is “too different” and “impossible”; this is how readers learn that Ruth is Mattel’s co-owner. (Can they actually tell her no?) Their reactions only make Ruth more determined, and two short, explanation-free pages later, the Barbie doll is launched to great success. The commentary also evades the body-image issues that the Barbie doll has created. The book is tolerable in part due to Bates’ soft watercolor renderings depicting Barbie’s evolving career—starting with Ballerina, Nurse, Singer, and Flight Attendant and morphing into Barbies who go into space, become veterinarians, and run for president. Barbies of color—of various backgrounds and professions—pepper the inside pages and jacket of the package; however, the narrative’s relentlessly cheerleading approach and holes may leave readers ungratified. Readers after a truly inspiring story of toy invention should check out Chris Barton and Don Tate’s Whoosh! (2016).
Leave this substance-free Barbie in the box. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-55378-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)
Bewitched by the rhythms of jazz all around her in Depression-era Kansas City, little Melba Doretta Liston longs to make music in this fictional account of a little-known jazz great.
Picking up the trombone at 7, the little girl teaches herself to play with the support of her Grandpa John and Momma Lucille, performing on the radio at 8 and touring as a pro at just 17. Both text and illustrations make it clear that it’s not all easy for Melba; “The Best Service for WHITES ONLY” reads a sign in a hotel window as the narrative describes a bigotry-plagued tour in the South with Billie Holiday. But joy carries the day, and the story ends on a high note, with Melba “dazzling audiences and making headlines” around the world. Russell-Brown’s debut text has an innate musicality, mixing judicious use of onomatopoeia with often sonorous prose. Morrison’s sinuous, exaggerated lines are the perfect match for Melba’s story; she puts her entire body into her playing, the exaggerated arch of her back and thrust of her shoulders mirroring the curves of her instrument. In one thrilling spread, the evening gown–clad instrumentalist stands over the male musicians, her slide crossing the gutter while the back bow disappears off the page to the left. An impressive discography complements a two-page afterword and a thorough bibliography.
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60060-898-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
A humorous tribute to the zany, determined and innovative side of invention.
Young Virena, one of four children, provides inspiration for her aspiring inventor papa’s latest ambitious construction: a submarine.
Fleming bases her tale on the true story of Civil War–era inventor Lodner Phillips, who tried his hand at submarine design on the shores of Lake Michigan. In Fleming’s lively, enthusiastic account, Papa builds three increasingly large and more complicated underwater vehicles, each of which sinks, with Papa emerging cheerfully, if damply, ready for the next round. As Virena muses on the nature of marine life, providing Papa with ideas for improvements, the baby interjects disarmingly funny comments: “No pee pee!” chortles the baby when Virena asks how fish stay dry. The Whitefish IV has room for everyone, and Papa puts his entire family into the contraption—somehow the cheerful presentation keeps readers from worrying about the outcome. Kulikov’s expansive, comical illustrations offer exaggerated perspectives from above and below the deep blue-green water, huge and beautiful fish just under the surface and a loving family for the determined inventor. Blueprints for each version of the mechanical fish are included—a neat glimpse into the invention process—while the peculiarly human expressions on the family bulldog remind readers that this is a fantasy. An author’s note and an extensive list of adult resources give background information about the real Lodner Phillips.
A humorous tribute to the zany, determined and innovative side of invention. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 11, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-374-39908-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Margaret Ferguson/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: April 9, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2013
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