A charming, beautifully illustrated portrait of a world-class athlete who deserves to be even more widely known.
Renowned cyclist Marshall “Major” Taylor endured arduous conditions while competing in the Six-Day Race.
Before Lebron James or Serena Williams, Taylor was one of the first Black Americans to win a championship in any sport and the first in cycling. Bouncy verse introduces readers to the young cyclist in Madison Square Garden in 1896. There, Taylor, a then-unknown 18-year-old, took part in a competition that involved six days of nearly continuous bike riding in front of thousands (“One hour of sleep / for every eight on the bike / kept you in the race, / but you fought to stay upright”). Taylor’s talent, discipline, and mentorship from a former cyclist champion set the foundation for his career in cycling. The race was demanding, a “test of physical endurance…and mental strength,” and for Taylor, as the only Black cyclist, dealing with racist attacks presented an additional layer of difficulty. As dramatic, almost cinematic scenes depict Taylor taking sharp corners, flashbacks chronicle previous races that led up to this one as well as the immense pressures he faced. Espinosa’s bold illustrations pair well with the book’s action-packed story and unfussy, lively text. Readers will be engaged and curious to learn more about a sports figure they’ve likely never heard of. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming, beautifully illustrated portrait of a world-class athlete who deserves to be even more widely known. (more information on Taylor, timeline, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781536214987
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter.
The latest of many picture books about the young heroine from Pakistan, this one is narrated by Malala herself, with a frame that is accessible to young readers.
Malala introduces her story using a television show she used to watch about a boy with a magic pencil that he used to get himself and his friends out of trouble. Readers can easily follow Malala through her own discovery of troubles in her beloved home village, such as other children not attending school and soldiers taking over the village. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations give a strong sense of setting, while gold ink designs overlay Malala’s hopes onto her often dreary reality. The story makes clear Malala’s motivations for taking up the pen to tell the world about the hardships in her village and only alludes to the attempt on her life, with a black page (“the dangerous men tried to silence me. / But they failed”) and a hospital bracelet on her wrist the only hints of the harm that came to her. Crowds with signs join her call before she is shown giving her famous speech before the United Nations. Toward the end of the book, adult readers may need to help children understand Malala’s “work,” but the message of holding fast to courage and working together is powerful and clear.
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter. (Picture book/memoir. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-31957-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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