Sure to excite the youngest fans of Lil Nas X.
This alphabet book glides on the style of viral country-trap superstar Lil Nas X.
By now just about everyone must know the words to 2019’s ever present “Old Town Road.” Those who follow Lil Nas X closely may also recall the initial rejection he weathered as a Black artist who sought to blend hip-hop and country. Even deeper, his courage in publicly declaring and living his gay identity and his hilarious social media antics have buoyed his fame. X’s brand of joyousness, boldness, and abundant love follow through in this alphabet book that presents a day in the life of a child Lil Nas X on his ranch. There’s the expected animals (horses, cows, rabbits), “dirt” (letter D), and beautiful sunset landscapes (featuring that famous road for the letter O). But remember, this is Lil Nas X, so there’s also his gaudy “swag” (letter S), “fake fur” (letter F), signature “hats” (letter H), and stylish “boots” (letter B). Coretta Scott King John Steptoe Award winner Taylor provides the illustrations, taking a (mostly) realistic approach to depicting a pint-sized artist amid his beautiful family. Assuredly, Lil Nas X was trolling when he tweeted that this endeavor would the “the best kids book of all time,” but it delivers on expanding the boundary-busting, genre-blending, self-defining, positive-energy universe that Lil Nas X is building for his youthful fan base. And that’s probably enough. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 57.4% of actual size.)
Sure to excite the youngest fans of Lil Nas X. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-30078-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
PERSPECTIVES
SEEN & HEARD
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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
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