More poster series than book; other, similar titles are better designed, more informative, more inclusive, and more...
In order to highlight the “vision, uniqueness, and perseverance” of American women and, “most important,” to convey to boys that “women could be role models or heroes for them,” fine artist Tinari spotlights 24 American women.
Arranged primarily chronologically by birth date, each figure is presented to readers in a double-page spread. On the verso is a quote by or about the woman highlighted (some of these pages feature quotes by men rather than by the women themselves, an oddity that is not explained). On the recto, a fourth-wall–breaking gouache portrait is surrounded by stenciled facts, dates, quotes, and the figure’s name. The verso quote, much of the recto text, and part of the otherwise grayscale portraits are highlighted in a single neon color against a white page, making it extremely difficult to read. Some facts feel pointless (“HENRY DAVID THOREAU took young LOUISA on many nature WALKS”), while others will have readers hungry for more (Sojourner Truth was the “1st BLACK WOMAN to take a WHITE MAN to court AND WIN!!”). The majority of the women are cis, straight (or at least not known to be LGBTQ), white, and not disabled. Four black women, one Japanese-American woman (Yuri Kochiyama), one Apache woman (Lozen), and no Latina women are featured. Black, trans model Tracey Norman is celebrated, and there are four out queer women, although, disappointingly, none of them are named as such. The neuroatypicality of some of the women is included, but no other types of disabilities are mentioned.
More poster series than book; other, similar titles are better designed, more informative, more inclusive, and more intersectional. (Collective biography. 9-12)Pub Date: Nov. 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1855-4
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
In no particular order and using no set criteria for his selections, veteran sportscaster Berman pays tribute to an arbitrary gallery of baseball stars—all familiar names and, except for the Yankees’ Alex Rodriguez, retired from play for decades. Repeatedly taking the stance that statistics are just numbers but then reeling off batting averages, home-run totals, wins (for pitchers) and other data as evidence of greatness, he offers career highlights in a folksy narrative surrounded by photos, side comments and baseball-card–style notes in side boxes. Readers had best come to this with some prior knowledge, since he casually drops terms like “slugging percentage,” “dead ball era” and “barnstorming” without explanation and also presents a notably superficial picture of baseball’s history—placing the sport’s “first half-century” almost entirely in the 1900s, for instance, and condescendingly noting that Jackie Robinson’s skill led Branch Rickey to decide that he “was worthy of becoming the first black player to play in the majors.” The awesome feats of Ruth, Mantle, the Gibsons Bob and Josh, Hank Aaron, Ty Cobb and the rest are always worth a recap—but this one’s strictly minor league. (Nonfiction. 10-12)
Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4022-3886-4
Page Count: 138
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2010
BOOK REVIEW
A spirited biography untangles the accretion of myth and story around Pocahontas and makes clear what little is actually known and what fragments of the historical record are available. The text is rich in illustration and in sidebars (on longhouses, colonial diet, weaponry and so on) that illuminate the central narrative. Whether Pocahontas saved John Smith’s life directly or as part of an elaborate ritual might not matter, argues Jones. Pocahontas and her people were certainly responsible for keeping the English settlement of Jamestown from starvation. Relations between English settlers and Native people were uneasy at best, and the author traces these carefully, relating how Pocahontas was later kidnapped by the British and held for ransom. When none was forthcoming, she was converted both to English ways and the Christian religion, marrying the widower John Rolfe and traveling to England, where Pocahontas saw John Smith once again and died at about the age of 21. An excellent stab at myth busting and capturing the nuances of both the figure and her times. (glossary, bibliography, source notes, index) (Biography. 9-12)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4027-6844-6
Page Count: 124
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2010
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