Some things may come and go, but sisterly friendship like this will stand the test of time.
The sisters introduced in the remarkable Stella & Marigold (2024) tackle friendships and unnerving sirens.
When the siblings’ well-meaning cousin gives them each a journal, Stella discovers that the notebooks contain 25 lines where they can write in the names of their best friends. Both Stella, 7, and Marigold, 4, feel sharp pains of inadequacy at not having nearly enough pals. What follows are their attempts to make more friends, from their babysitter to their upstairs neighbor and their classmates. In one particularly fraught sequence, Marigold steals a disturbingly toothy (but very funny) mermaid candle holder from her upstairs neighbor; she plans to pretend to find it so he’ll be grateful to her. Of course, the heart of the series lies with the relationship between its titular sisters, and the two are as close as ever; a scene where they briefly contemplate running away from home cements their mutual dedication. While the text isn’t quite as hilarious as in the first volume, the art may actually be funnier (thanks to the mermaid), with its loving depiction of the realistically nuanced sororal relationship that made the first book a hit. Readers need not be familiar with the earlier installment to enjoy this latest. Both sisters present white; their community is diverse.
Some things may come and go, but sisterly friendship like this will stand the test of time. (Early chapter book. 6-9)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781797219714
Page Count: 116
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D.
Breakout kid barber J.D. embraces a summer of opportunity.
Readers met J.D. Jones just as he took his hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, by storm, winning himself community acclaim and a chair at the revered Hart and Sons barbershop in series opener J.D. and the Great Barber Battle(2021). What’s next for the haircut prodigy? School’s just getting out, and there’s so much life happening outside—if only one can escape home learning with the grandparents. J.D.’s sister, Vanessa, brings along multitalented mutual friend Jessyka to share an ambitious challenge: “Let’s start a YouTube channel!” Can they get millions of views and wow the whole world? They are already amazing at haircuts and hairstyles—all they need is to learn how to make a great YouTube video. The story models strategies for scripting short videos reflecting the templates of viral YouTube hair tutorials, inviting readers to not only see the journey of the characters, but maybe also practice these skills at home. This book is bound to educate all about some of the most storied and cherished traditions within the Black community. Bringing in Vanessa is a great touch to extend the series across gender, and hopefully she’ll get a chance to lead her own adventures. This book blends skill-building, entrepreneurship, and strong family values to give young Black children visions of what’s possible when they follow their passions and embrace their community.
A strong second outing for Dillard and J.D. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Aug. 3, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-11155-0
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Kokila
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
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