A solid chapter book laced with themes of cultural confidence and family.
When 9-year-old Vietnamese Canadian Anne inherits her grandma’s jade bangle, she begins a journey of cultural exploration.
It’s the new moon, and the Nguyen family is preparing altar offerings for the recently deceased Grandma Nội. “Three ceramic bowls of jasmine rice, three cups of black tea, barbeque pork, kale salad, lasagna, apples, and oranges” line the altar. But after Anne puts on the bracelet that night, Grandma Nội appears, revealing that she and the other family spirits wish to feast on food from the homeland. She never had the chance to pass on her culinary knowledge to Anne’s father, but now she has chosen Anne to learn her recipes. Anne is not sure she can live up to this responsibility, but cooking with Grandma Nội makes her feel safe. These days, assurance is something she’s looking for—her White ballet instructor’s racial microaggressions leave her feeling uncertain. Trinh addresses racism, allyship, and friendship in this series starter. Short chapters keep the narrative moving, capturing the emotional beats of a young person grappling with the complexity of traditions, differing cultural identities among generations, and the weight of expectations as a child in an immigrant family. Grandma Nội and Anne's parents, separately, open up to Anne about their own experiences with racism, which empowers her to voice her feelings. Expressive black-and-white illustrations bring to life this Vietnamese Canadian family’s story.
A solid chapter book laced with themes of cultural confidence and family. (character biographies, author’s note) (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77321-715-4
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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