Hit or miss, but the Black princess is definitely great to see.
From the creators of My Hair (2019) comes a tale about a princess who finds her voice.
Shiloh lives in a “grand house” in her kingdom, and she has a tough problem: “You see, every princess in the kingdom could sing. / Yet Shiloh’s voice could do no such thing.” The doctor can’t help her. The top vocal coach thinks she’s hopeless. One day, she passes by some visiting princes making beats and rapping, and she wants to try it too. She jumps right in with her own rhymes, awing the princes with her talent. Shiloh is still sad about her voice and keeps trying to find a remedy to her lack of singing talent. But when her mirror speaks back to her, telling her to follow her passion—rapping—Shiloh realizes that she does have talent, and she finally embraces and celebrates what her voice can do. In colorful, textured illustrations that combine European-esque, fairy-tale castles with an otherwise African-inspired aesthetic, Shiloh’s kingdom appears to exist outside of time: Diverse Black royalty use both futuristic and old-fashioned transportation, for instance. The text is composed in rhyming lyrics, which readers may stumble over when reading aloud, as the cadence and rhythm are inconsistent and unclear. True hip-hop heads may balk at this simplistic presentation of rap divorced from its roots as social commentary, but many children will enjoy this energetic fable and the unique cultural style on its pages.
Hit or miss, but the Black princess is definitely great to see. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-571-36114-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Faber & Faber
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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
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