A perfectly pitched celebration of an esteemed author that may nevertheless struggle somewhat to find an audience.
A simple introduction to Jane Austen’s life and work.
Hopkinson’s light, conversational tone and obvious appreciation for her subject combine with Qin’s lively ink-and-watercolor illustrations to create an engaging portrait of this talented writer. The relatively brisk recital of the events of Jane Austen’s life is leavened by insights into her personality and childhood experiences. Realistic vignettes, single-page illustrations, and double-page spreads of Jane and her family accompany and expand the text; generous use of white space and delicate linework give the pictures an airy feel. Unlike Lisa Pliscou and Jen Corace’s practically simultaneously publishing biography (Brave Jane Austen, 2018), potentially distressing details are glossed over, and the narrative focuses on Austen’s early years. No mention is made of Jane’s serious illness as a child or of the Austen family’s financial difficulties. Rather, the focus is on Jane’s appreciation for her father’s extensive library, her pleasure in writing amusing stories for her family to enjoy, and the fun of family theatricals and games. This approach brings Jane endearingly to life for an audience that has likely never heard of her and provides context for the description of her later experiences and lauded writing style. Several pages of backmatter, including a timeline, summaries of Austen’s major works, and additional resources, may be beyond the interest and abilities of most young listeners but share the accessible tone of the text.
A perfectly pitched celebration of an esteemed author that may nevertheless struggle somewhat to find an audience. (bibliography) (Picture book/biography. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-237330-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2017
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A unique angle on a watershed moment in the civil rights era.
The New Orleans school child who famously broke the color line in 1960 while surrounded by federal marshals describes the early days of her experience from a 6-year-old’s perspective.
Bridges told her tale to younger children in 2009’s Ruby Bridges Goes to School, but here the sensibility is more personal, and the sometimes-shocking historical photos have been replaced by uplifting painted scenes. “I didn’t find out what being ‘the first’ really meant until the day I arrived at this new school,” she writes. Unfrightened by the crowd of “screaming white people” that greets her at the school’s door (she thinks it’s like Mardi Gras) but surprised to find herself the only child in her classroom, and even the entire building, she gradually realizes the significance of her act as (in Smith’s illustration) she compares a small personal photo to the all-White class photos posted on a bulletin board and sees the difference. As she reflects on her new understanding, symbolic scenes first depict other dark-skinned children marching into classes in her wake to friendly greetings from lighter-skinned classmates (“School is just school,” she sensibly concludes, “and kids are just kids”) and finally an image of the bright-eyed icon posed next to a soaring bridge of reconciliation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A unique angle on a watershed moment in the civil rights era. (author and illustrator notes, glossary) (Autobiographical picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-75388-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
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