An intriguing true story elevated by striking illustrations.
Enamored by sport, a group of Thai boys literally make a field of their own.
In Thailand in 1986, a young boy named Prasit lives in a village called Koh Panyee, built on stilts on the shore. As his father leaves on his boat with dreams of his daily catch, Prasit and the other neighborhood boys look elsewhere. Their eyes are on the village’s only TV, at Uncle’s coffee shop, broadcasting the World Cup. Their excitement spills over to a sandbar where they struggle to play in the sand. The straightforward text goes on at a steady pace to reveal how the boys build their own floating soccer field with ample ingenuity and resourcefulness. At first the community is skeptical of the boys’ goals, but they eventually cheer as the boys leave for a tournament. Illustrators Quang and Lien use vivid colors and contrast to bring plenty of depth and movement to every scene. At times the narration can be a touch flat, especially at the climax, where the boys kick off their shoes in their formal match to play in the rain, a moment rendered with little emotion. In the backmatter, the real Prasit provides insights on the actual events along with a detailed author’s note and a glossary. The village is largely Muslim, as shown by characters’ attire.
An intriguing true story elevated by striking illustrations. (maps, bibliography, reading guide) (Informational picture book. 7-11)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5415-7915-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Millbrook/Lerner
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe.
An introduction to gravity.
The book opens with the most iconic demonstration of gravity, an apple falling. Throughout, Herz tackles both huge concepts—how gravity compresses atoms to form stars and how black holes pull all kinds of matter toward them—and more concrete ones: how gravity allows you to jump up and then come back down to the ground. Gravity narrates in spare yet lyrical verse, explaining how it creates planets and compresses atoms and comparing itself to a hug. “My embrace is tight enough that you don’t float like a balloon, but loose enough that you can run and leap and play.” Gravity personifies itself at times: “I am stubborn—the bigger things are, the harder I pull.” Beautiful illustrations depict swirling planets and black holes alongside racially diverse children playing, running, and jumping, all thanks to gravity. Thorough backmatter discusses how Sir Isaac Newton discovered gravity and explains Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity. While at times Herz’s explanations may be a bit too technical for some readers, burgeoning scientists will be drawn in.
An in-depth and visually pleasing look at one of the most fundamental forces in the universe. (Informational picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: April 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781668936849
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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