A thorough chronicling of a musical trailblazer—though probably too thorough for most in the typical picture-book audience.
Guitarist Robbie Robertson’s son presents his father’s journey to rock-’n’-roll fame.
As a child of mixed Mohawk and Jewish heritage in Ontario, Canada, Robbie spent significant time on the reservation where his mother grew up. There, he was inspired by the vivid storytelling of the elders to become a storyteller himself. He was exposed to many instruments but fell in love with the guitar, which he practiced ferociously. By 16, Robbie was making music professionally. He left Canada for New York City and eventually became the lead guitarist for an established touring band. This experience paved the way for Robbie and his band mates, known simply as The Band, to set out creating their own distinctive sound, which incorporated Robbie’s passion for storytelling in their lyrics. Robertson writes with an endearing tone of adoration and pride, although the narrative runs awfully long: Lengthy paragraphs include superfluous details that will likely lose the attention of young readers who are not already keen fans. The oil illustrations successfully capture time and place, and they incorporate some of the famous faces Robbie met along his way. The book is most likely to be appreciated in settings where children study musical pioneers—and when accompanied by recordings of The Band’s music.
A thorough chronicling of a musical trailblazer—though probably too thorough for most in the typical picture-book audience. (timeline, interview) (Picture book/biography. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 21, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8050-9473-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
Another winning shot for the well-oiled Wimpy Kid machine.
The wimpy kid tries to throw away his shot.
After a dreadful performance at his school’s field day games, Greg Heffley is content to sit out any and all organized sports. Greg’s mom refuses to let him give up, pushing him to try out for the school basketball team. Unsurprisingly, Greg doesn’t make the cut, but a series of peculiar events leads him to join a ragtag crew of ne’er-do-wells who form a brand-new team. Needless to say, things do not go well. As the losses mount and exasperation builds, Kinney keeps the laughs coming at the usual run-and-gun pace. Fans of the long-running series will find what they expect here: wry humor, petulant tweens, and the single-panel comics that round out the Wimpy Kid universe. At this point, the series that single-handedly created an entire middle grade genre built around smarmy cartoon protagonists could easily rest on its laurels, but Kinney’s fondness for these characters shines through in this accomplished installment, proving that he is no lion in winter. The gags are good, the characters endear, and the story crackles. There are too many Wimpy Kid books to rank here, but when those Buzzfeed articles eventually get written, Big Shot will be near the top.
Another winning shot for the well-oiled Wimpy Kid machine. (Graphic novel. 7-12)Pub Date: Oct. 26, 2021
ISBN: 9-781-4197-4915-5
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2021
SEEN & HEARD
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship.
A young tennis champion becomes the target of revenge.
In this sequel to Legacy and the Queen (2019), Legacy Petrin and her friends Javi and Pippa have returned to Legacy’s home province and the orphanage run by her father. With her friends’ help, she is in training to defend her championship when they discover that another player, operating under the protection of High Consul Silla, is presenting herself as Legacy. She is so convincing that the real Legacy is accused of being an imitation. False Legacy has become a hero to the masses, further strengthening Silla’s hold, and it becomes imperative to uncover and defeat her. If Legacy is to win again, she must play her imposter while disguised as someone else. Winning at tennis is not just about money and fame, but resisting Silla’s plans to send more young people into brutal mines with little hope of better lives. Legacy will have to overcome her fears and find the magic that allowed her to claim victory in the past. This story, with its elements of sports, fantasy, and social consciousness that highlight tensions between the powerful and those they prey upon, successfully continues the series conceived by late basketball superstar Bryant. As before, the tennis matches are depicted with pace and spirit. Legacy and Javi have brown skin; most other characters default to White.
A worthy combination of athletic action, the virtues of inner strength, and the importance of friendship. (Fantasy. 9-12)Pub Date: Aug. 24, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-949520-19-4
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Granity Studios
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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