An illuminating account of an early genius.
This illustrated children’s book offers a biography of a famous architect and doctor and places his and Egypt’s legacies in the context of African history.
Imhotep was born and raised in ancient Kemet, a nation that would one day become Egypt. The child of an architect, Imhotep was curious at a young age and constructed small mastabas, precursors to pyramids, modeled after the one his father built. Even as a youngster, Imhotep began making advances, challenging contemporary thought about structure and materials. Aire’s tale follows Imhotep from childhood to his later years as he rose to the position of vizier to King Djoser. Most of the details about the architect’s life focus on science, but other elements depict the common belief in Egyptian deities, such as crediting Imhotep with solving a flood problem by recognizing a god’s anger that his temple had been ill cared for. Much of Aire’s solid biography is told in simple sentences with accessible vocabulary complemented by a glossary and pronunciation guide in the opening pages. In the end pages, the author provides denser descriptions of Imhotep’s accomplishments and how the polymath shaped Egyptian civilization with his progressive techniques in architecture, medicine, and writing. Further discussion of Egypt’s history situates the civilization in context with the people of ancient Nubia as well as the Middle East. Vera and Kyrpenko’s detailed illustrations portray a diverse Kemet, with people of many different skin colors sharing the same civilization and culture. The digital paintings show the hairstyles and clothing frequently depicted in hieroglyphics, grounding the child-friendly style in history. Most pages feature Imhotep’s cat for children to find in the background, enticing young lap readers to stay focused on the images while their parents read the text aloud. Imhotep’s natural curiosity and childlike questions should resonate with young readers, and Aire’s lyrical prose (“The people were desperate for food, water, and hope”) is likely to appeal to adults, especially with repeated readings. Older independent readers, especially those who love ancient Egypt, are sure to gain a new perspective by following this historical figure.
An illuminating account of an early genius.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2022
ISBN: 9781777117993
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Our Ancestories
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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 memorable life—a forgettable presentation.
Baseball’s No. 42 strikes out.
Even as a babe in his mother’s arms, Robinson is depicted wearing his Brooklyn Dodgers baseball cap in this latest entry in the Ordinary People Change the World series. He narrates his childhood alongside cartoon panels that show him as an expert runner and thrower. Racism and poverty are also part of his growing up, along with lessons in sharing and courage. Incredibly, the Negro Leagues are not mentioned beyond a passing reference to “a black team” with a picture of the Kansas City Monarchs next to their team bus (still looking like a child in the illustration, Robinson whines, “Gross! Is this food or goo?”). In 1946, Branch Rickey signs him to play for the Dodgers’ farm team, and the rest, as they say, is history. Robinson concludes his story with an exhortation to readers to be brave, strong and use their “power to do what’s right. / Use that power for a cause that you believe in.” Meltzer writes his inspirational biography as a first-person narrative, which risks being construed and used as an autobiography—which it is not. The digitally rendered cartoon illustrations that show Robinson as a perpetual child fall sadly short of capturing his demeanor and prowess.
A memorable life—a forgettable presentation. (photographs, timeline, sources, further reading) (Picture book/biography. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 8, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-8037-4086-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 14, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014
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