A stirring portrait of Black excellence.
A Black family looks back on the past—and ahead to a bright future.
Nasir and Imani love visiting their grandmother, a famous photographer. Today she has a surprise: “When I was your age, my momma showed me this book of photographs and told me, This is what greatness looks like.” With each turn of the page, the kids—and readers—are transported to a world of Black greatness. An image of Bessie Coleman inspires Imani to dig through Grandma’s old clothes until she becomes the spitting image of the famed pilot, while Nasir takes inspiration from the Tuskegee Airmen for his matching costume. The illustrations effectively blend stock photos of the storied subjects with contemporary photos (taken by the authors) of the two youngsters reenacting pivotal moments of Black history, including Ruby Bridges becoming the first Black student to enroll in an all-white school in Louisiana and Tommie Smith and John Carlos’ protest at the 1968 Olympics. Flourishes of sparkling light swirling through the scenes make clear that Grandma’s book is infused with a bit of magic. Pages and pages of costumed portraiture are equal parts empowering and delightful as the narrative shifts focus to more contemporary figures such as Colin Kaepernick and Beyoncé, culminating with the acknowledgment that Nasir and Imani could very well be great themselves someday.
A stirring portrait of Black excellence. (brief biographies of the people mentioned) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9780316491174
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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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