Tender and thought-provoking.
An artist hopes to paint the picture of his dreams.
Vincent is struggling. He paints and paints, but his work is derided. He needs sunshine, fresh air, and new friends. His brother, Theo, supports and encourages him, funding a trip to “the sunny South” and providing art supplies. Vincent sets his easel among the apple and peach trees, explores the surrounding countryside, and meets his new neighbors. Painting portraits of Postman Joseph and his family results in blossoming friendships, while an encounter with a farmer planting sunflower seeds will eventually lead to his dream coming true. Theo displays and shares Vincent’s works—including his depiction of the sunflower—with visitors, who aren’t impressed, but one little girl is enthralled. The author never tells young readers that the artist is the very real Vincent van Gogh; the name might not have resonance for them, but adults will realize who he is—and can offer additional context. Language and syntax are remarkable in simplicity and imagery, presenting a warm and compassionate view of this extraordinary talent. Beech’s brilliantly hued, expressive illustrations add dimension and delight, often invoking Van Gogh’s most famous paintings. Text and art are woven together well, appearing in a variety of combinations, from double-page spreads to scattered vignettes. Little readers and their grown-ups will respond to Vincent and Theo’s loving relationship and will admire Vincent’s beautiful art, which may lead to a museum visit. Background characters are diverse.
Tender and thought-provoking. (Picture-book biography. 5-9)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2024
ISBN: 9780500653388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2024
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter.
The latest of many picture books about the young heroine from Pakistan, this one is narrated by Malala herself, with a frame that is accessible to young readers.
Malala introduces her story using a television show she used to watch about a boy with a magic pencil that he used to get himself and his friends out of trouble. Readers can easily follow Malala through her own discovery of troubles in her beloved home village, such as other children not attending school and soldiers taking over the village. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations give a strong sense of setting, while gold ink designs overlay Malala’s hopes onto her often dreary reality. The story makes clear Malala’s motivations for taking up the pen to tell the world about the hardships in her village and only alludes to the attempt on her life, with a black page (“the dangerous men tried to silence me. / But they failed”) and a hospital bracelet on her wrist the only hints of the harm that came to her. Crowds with signs join her call before she is shown giving her famous speech before the United Nations. Toward the end of the book, adult readers may need to help children understand Malala’s “work,” but the message of holding fast to courage and working together is powerful and clear.
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter. (Picture book/memoir. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-31957-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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