An excellent, informative tale of an African queen for readers of all ages.
A picture book tells the story of Queen Idia of the African kingdom of Benin.
A girl named Idia dreams of a battle and “a woman who helped to heal those who were hurt by mixing herbs and potions.” The next day, Idia attends a festival, where she performs a traditional dance for the Oba (king) with other villagers. But she remains distracted by her dream. As she gets older, Idia learns about magic and medicine from her mother. Now an adult, Idia is a skilled dancer and is invited to perform for the new Oba. He is impressed with Idia and wants to marry her. She asks her parents for guidance. They seek a native doctor who “made two deep marks in Idia’s forehead, to which he applied special medicines.” Idia dreams of the battle again and realizes the woman is actually her. She sees her future son, a king. Idia decides to marry the Oba. The story concludes: “She became a queen, a warrior, the first woman to fight for the kingdom, and the first Iyoba (Queen Mother) of Benin.” Aire’s intriguing tale is beautifully written. The story of Idia’s journey will captivate readers, offering a vibrant plot and a special protagonist. Shabelnyk’s depictions accentuate the text, delivering lovely portrayals of the narrative’s events and detailed scenery. The book includes useful backmatter: a short history of the Benin Empire and biographical information about Queen Idia.
An excellent, informative tale of an African queen for readers of all ages. (maps)Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77711-790-0
Page Count: 21
Publisher: Our Ancestories
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event.
A vibrantly illustrated account of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade through the eyes of a young girl who volunteers to participate.
Morrison’s signature style depicts each black child throughout the book as a distinct individual; on the endpapers, children hold signs that collectively create a “Civil Rights and the Children’s Crusade” timeline, placing the events of the book in the context of the greater movement. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. comes to speak at her church, a girl and her brother volunteer to march in their parents’ stead. The narrative succinctly explains why the Children’s Crusade was a necessary logistical move, one that children and parents made with careful consideration and despite fear. Lines of text (“Let the children march. / They will lead the way // The path may be long and / troubled, but I’m gonna walk on!”) are placed within the illustrations in bold swoops for emphasis. Morrison’s powerful use of perspective makes his beautiful oil paintings even more dynamic and conveys the intensity of the situations depicted, including the children’s being arrested, hosed, and jailed. The child crusaders, regardless of how badly they’re treated, never lose their dignity, which the art conveys flawlessly. While the children win the day, such details as the Confederate flag subtly connect the struggle to the current day.
A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event. (timeline, afterword, artist’s statement, quote sources, bibliography) (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-70452-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 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.
