by George Ancona & photographed by George Ancona ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 1995
Four Latino-American festivals are chronicled here, photographed in four different citiesDay of the Dead (San Francisco), Las Posadas (Albuquerque), Matachines (El Rancho, New Mexico), and Three Kings' Day (New York City). Ancona introduces readers to a family celebrating each fiesta, briefly explaining its origins and how it has become integrated into family or community life in the US. The photographs are full of fascinating information but the layout of the book is not particularly attractivethe pages are sometimes cramped and hard to read. Still, the high spirits carry the day. The book conveys the festivity of each ceremony and serves both as a valuable introduction to and a celebration of some of the Latino cultures that enrich this country. (Picture book/nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-525-67498-5
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Dutton
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1995
Share your opinion of this book
More by George Ancona
BOOK REVIEW
by George Ancona ; photographed by George Ancona
BOOK REVIEW
by George Ancona ; photographed by George Ancona
BOOK REVIEW
by George Ancona ; photographed by George Ancona
by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer ; illustrated by Simini Blocker ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 18, 2019
Alert readers will find the implicit morals: know your audience, mostly, but also never underestimate the power of “rock”...
The theme of persistence (for better or worse) links four tales of magic, trickery, and near disasters.
Lachenmeyer freely borrows familiar folkloric elements, subjecting them to mildly comical twists. In the nearly wordless “Hip Hop Wish,” a frog inadvertently rubs a magic lamp and finds itself saddled with an importunate genie eager to shower it with inappropriate goods and riches. In the title tale, an increasingly annoyed music-hating witch transforms a persistent minstrel into a still-warbling cow, horse, sheep, goat, pig, duck, and rock in succession—then is horrified to catch herself humming a tune. Athesius the sorcerer outwits Warthius, a rival trying to steal his spells via a parrot, by casting silly ones in Ig-pay Atin-lay in the third episode, and in the finale, a painter’s repeated efforts to create a flattering portrait of an ogre king nearly get him thrown into a dungeon…until he suddenly understands what an ogre’s idea of “flattering” might be. The narratives, dialogue, and sound effects leave plenty of elbow room in Blocker’s big, brightly colored panels for the expressive animal and human(ish) figures—most of the latter being light skinned except for the golden genie, the blue ogre, and several people of color in the “Sorcerer’s New Pet.”
Alert readers will find the implicit morals: know your audience, mostly, but also never underestimate the power of “rock” music. (Graphic short stories. 8-10)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-59643-750-0
Page Count: 112
Publisher: First Second
Review Posted Online: April 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
BOOK REVIEW
by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer ; illustrated by Frank W. Dormer
BOOK REVIEW
by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer ; illustrated by Carlyn Beccia
BOOK REVIEW
by Nathaniel Lachenmeyer & illustrated by Nicoletta Ceccoli
adapted by Eric A. Kimmel & illustrated by Pep Montserrat ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 5, 2008
In these 12 retellings, the Immortals come across as unusually benign. Dionysius at first suggests to King Midas that he give his excess wealth to the poor, for instance; the troubles that Pandora releases are originally imprisoned in the box by Prometheus’s brother Epimetheus out of compassion for humankind; and it’s Persephone herself who begs for a compromise that will allow her to stay with her beloved Hades for six months out of every year. Kimmel relates each tale in easy, natural-sounding language. And even though his Andromeda looks more Celtic than Ethiopian (as the oldest versions of the story have it), Montserrat’s figures combine appropriate monumentality with an appealing expressiveness. The stories are all familiar and available in more comprehensive collections, but the colorful illustrations and spacious page design make this a good choice for shared reading. (foreword) (Nonfiction. 8-10)
Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2008
ISBN: 978-1-4169-1534-8
Page Count: 112
Publisher: McElderry
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2007
Share your opinion of this book
More by Eric A. Kimmel
BOOK REVIEW
by Eric A. Kimmel ; illustrated by Feronia Parker-Thomas
BOOK REVIEW
by Eric A. Kimmel ; illustrated by Dov Smiley
BOOK REVIEW
by Eric A. Kimmel ; illustrated by Alida Massari
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.