A riveting lesson on Reconstruction.
A young Black girl goes in search of loved ones in the aftermath of the Civil War.
Not everyone at Lettie’s church can read the newspaper, so after some practice, she volunteers to read aloud to the congregation advertisements placed by those seeking information about missing-in-action soldier spouses or parents, children, and siblings separated by the all-too-common travesties of enslavement. Lettie is inspired by these efforts to reconnect, especially by the success stories she reads, but she isn’t fully aware of the monumental role she’s playing in her community during this era of widespread displacement and confusion. As she learns how much these advertisements cost, “Indian head” pennies accumulate on the page, alongside emotive digital illustrations of Lettie working various jobs, attending church with her uncle, and saving up to place an advertisement about her mother, father, brothers, and sisters. Once she’s eventually able to afford an ad, the wait for a response is long, but it does finally arrive—to the cheers of Lettie’s whole church. This richly inspiring and informative picture book illuminates an oft-overlooked—but incredibly important—chapter of U.S. history. In the backmatter, Keller notes that while Lettie’s story is fictional, the advertisements are all real; they’re artfully incorporated into the narrative. Freeman’s use of texture and color gives the story a vivid, almost three-dimensional feel.
A riveting lesson on Reconstruction. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781665913072
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Atheneum
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Kids will enjoy the opportunity to “mews” on the doings of a presidential pet.
First Lady Biden and Capucilli, author of the Biscuit series, explain how Willow the cat came to reside at the White House.
Willow lives contentedly in a barn. One day, she’s curious when cars approach and people gather to hear a blond woman speak. Willow draws closer, then is delighted as the woman lifts her up and hugs her. That evening, light-skinned Farmer Rick tells Willow she made “quite an impression”: The visitor has invited Willow to live with her. A car arrives to drive Willow away to the White House, her new home in Washington, D.C. There, she’s welcomed by the first lady—the same woman who tenderly held her at the farm. Willow meets the president and explores her new home, filled with elegantly furnished rooms, grand staircases, and historic portraits. Plus, there’s a toy-filled basket! Best of all, there are wonderful people who work in and visit this beautiful house who show Willow kindness and affection. Willow’s favorite resting spot is at the president’s side in the Oval Office, though she also enjoys watching the first lady read to children on the lawn. Animal lovers will especially appreciate this sweet, cat’s-eye view of the White House, which helps humanize the first family by depicting them as ordinary feline fanciers. The loose ink, acrylic, and paint illustrations are cheerful and cozy. Background characters are racially diverse.
Kids will enjoy the opportunity to “mews” on the doings of a presidential pet. (author’s note from Biden, photos) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 4, 2024
ISBN: 9781665952057
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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