A sumptuously illustrated, bittersweet story that’s at once an ode to and a eulogy for Black American farms.
The story of one Black farmer stands in for the plight of many.
The young Black protagonist who narrates the story farms with his grandfather, Earl, whom he calls Papa. Once one of many Black farmers who sold at this market, Earl’s now the only one left, selling homegrown pumpkins, peppers, and plums. In this tight-knit community, folks look out for one another like family. When Earl is too tired to go to the market, his grandson harvests and sells the produce without him. But Earl’s customers send the boy home with goods to help Papa heal: pumpkin pie, stuffed peppers, candied plums, and plum jam. References to color abound in both text and the art: Papa’s black hands, which can make and fix anything; the black night sky in a community with no streetlights; Papa’s blue truck; the purple plums. The Pumphreys’ bold, stunning artwork, created with digitally edited handmade stamps, perfectly captures the pace of hot summer days in the rural South, the joy of growing produce for others, and the sadness of losing these important sources of nutritious food and community. In an author’s note, Eady calls his heartfelt tale both a love letter to a fading way of life and an apology to those facing the racism that has contributed to the decimation of Black-owned farms.
A sumptuously illustrated, bittersweet story that’s at once an ode to and a eulogy for Black American farms. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780593480571
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Nov. 4, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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