An inspiring and appealing snapshot of a strong woman and activist, her world and her legacy, told with warmth and charm
A city is more than the sum of its parts!
Full of curiosity from a young age, Jane is a keen observer. Colorful and appealing illustrations tinged with gentle humor show Jane as she explains how the world around her functions to a cadre of imaginary friends. She discovers that manholes look like waffles, and she later sees that gas, water, steam, electricity, and sewage all have their places in structures underground. Animals, plants, and weather are part of an ecosystem. And a city is an ecosystem, too. “It is made of different parts—sidewalks, parks, stores, neighborhoods, City Hall…and people, of course. When they all work together, the city is healthy.” As an adult, Jane becomes a journalist, marries, has children, and fights against city planners who want to tear down neighborhoods to build a series of high-rises. When her own community comes under fire, Jane Jacobs becomes a full-fledged activist, joining rallies, writing letters, and even closing off a park to effectively stand up against big developers who initially dismiss her as a mere mother. While notably addressing character traits such as resilience and integrity, the accessible text is infused with a sense of joie de vivre and a love of cities and community, very successfully showing how social action can develop from belief, dedication, and enthusiasm. Boivin’s soft-edged illustrations depict appealing urban neighborhoods populated by diverse residents who surround Jacobs as the determined, bespectacled white woman ages with vigor.
An inspiring and appealing snapshot of a strong woman and activist, her world and her legacy, told with warmth and charm . (Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: April 3, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-77138-653-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Jan. 21, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2018
A good-enough introduction to a contested festivity but one that’s not in step with the community it’s for.
An overview of the modern African-American holiday.
This book arrives at a time when black people in the United States have had intraracial—some serious, some snarky—conversations about Kwanzaa’s relevance nowadays, from its patchwork inspiration that flattens the cultural diversity of the African continent to a single festive story to, relatedly, the earnest blacker-than-thou pretentiousness surrounding it. Both the author and consultant Keith A. Mayes take great pains—and in painfully simplistic language—to provide a context that attempts to refute the internal arguments as much as it informs its intended audience. In fact, Mayes says in the endnotes that young people are Kwanzaa’s “largest audience and most important constituents” and further extends an invitation to all races and ages to join the winter celebration. However, his “young people represent the future” counterpoint—and the book itself—really responds to an echo of an argument, as black communities have moved the conversation out to listen to African communities who critique the holiday’s loose “African-ness” and deep American-ness and moved on to commemorate holidays that have a more historical base in black people’s experiences in the United States, such as Juneteenth. In this context, the explications of Kwanzaa’s principles and symbols and the smattering of accompanying activities feel out of touch.
A good-enough introduction to a contested festivity but one that’s not in step with the community it’s for. (resources, bibliography, glossary, afterword) (Nonfiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4263-2849-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: National Geographic Kids
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2017
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist.
Frida Kahlo’s strong affection for and identification with animals form the lens through which readers view her life and work in this picture-book biography.
Each two-page spread introduces one or more of her pets, comparing her characteristics to theirs and adding biographical details. Confusingly for young readers, the beginning pages reference pets she owned as an adult, yet the illustrations and events referred to come from earlier in her life. Bonito the parrot perches in a tree overlooking young Frida and her family in her childhood home and pops up again later, just before the first mention of Diego Rivera. Granizo, the fawn, another pet from her adult years, is pictured beside a young Frida and her father along with a description of “her life as a little girl.” The author’s note adds important details about Kahlo’s life and her significance as an artist, as well as recommending specific paintings that feature her beloved animals. Expressive acrylic paintings expertly evoke Kahlo’s style and color palette. While young animal lovers will identify with her attachment to her pets and may enjoy learning about the Aztec origins of her Xolo dogs and the meaning of turkeys in ancient Mexico, the book may be of most interest to those who already have an interest in Kahlo’s life.
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4269-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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