A lovely telling of a lovely tale.
The enthralling tale of an unlikely champion.
Delayed by a flat tire and a snowstorm, Harry de Leyer arrived at the New Holland, Pennsylvania, horse auction in February 1956 after sales had been completed. The kill buyer had already loaded the unsold horses onto a trailer destined for the slaughterhouse when a gaunt gray gelding with wounds from a plow harness caught de Leyer’s eye. De Leyer, a White man who had emigrated from Holland after World War II, knew something about suffering and bought the horse for $80. Within a few months, Snowman was placidly carrying beginner riders at the exclusive Knox School where de Leyer ran the riding program. However, he tripped over ground poles: He seemingly couldn’t jump. But after being sold to a neighboring farmer, Snowman regularly jumped 5-foot fences to come home. De Leyer bought him back; soon the unlikely pair were winning against the most cosseted and expensive horses in the country. Though de Leyer’s status as a professional riding teacher meant they were ineligible for the Olympics, Snowman became an international favorite. Here, equestrian Letts revises her adult title from 2011. In many ways it’s more successful as a young readers’ edition: With the tighter focus, the sweetness of the relationship between de Leyer—who, though needing money, turned down blank-check offers for the horse he and his children loved—and Snowman shines even brighter. Extensive backmatter enhances this irresistible story.
A lovely telling of a lovely tale. (Nonfiction. 8-16)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-12712-4
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Delacorte
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself.
Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir.
Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they’re moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree—who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports—drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn’t think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade—even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression—while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it’s therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don’t value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo’s combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black.
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306469-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
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