Aside from the lack of continuity of the photographs, as an introduction to lacrosse, this book is a score.
An introduction to the sport of lacrosse for beginners.
Sports Illustrated for Kids presents the basic principles and vocabulary of lacrosse, including the equipment, where it is played, and the positions of each player, as well as describing the differences between women’s and men’s lacrosse. The account follows the format of a game, with scoreboard-type boxes that keep track of the time and quarter. Vocabulary words, such as “cradle,” “face-off,” “slashing,” and “offsides,” are written in big block letters to emphasize importance. Collaged-in photographs of real players engaged in particular actions of the game appear on bright, colored backgrounds. These photographs are of players on different teams, so with each turn of the page there is a loss of continuity. Two little cartoon characters—a boy and girl—appear on each page and add silly commentary and comedic actions, like bringing a vacuum into the game to steal the ball. Other thought and speech bubbles are slapped on above the real-life photographs, adding often mindless but humorous commentary. The writing gives detailed explanations of what to expect in the game, but some of the illustrations can be confusing. Most of the players in the photographs appear to be white; the cartoon girl has brown skin, and the cartoon boy is pale.
Aside from the lack of continuity of the photographs, as an introduction to lacrosse, this book is a score. (Informational picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 17, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68330-078-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Liberty Street/Time Inc. Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.
What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!
For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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
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