A heartwarming story that’s ultimately about far more than hair.
Noah is a boy who longs for lengthy locks, but will others support his wish?
As his birthday approaches, brown-skinned Noah begins dropping not-so-subtle hints about the gifts he’s hoping for: a telescope, a toy robot, and crafting beads. But what Noah wants most is something he can’t bring himself to admit—something that his sister and mom have but not his dad, his grandpa, his uncle, the mailman, or almost any other boy in class. What Noah desperately wants is something “he just didn’t think he was allowed to ask for”: long hair. Noah’s longing becomes apparent to his observant family; they notice when Noah breaks down after a buzzcut and when he wears a T-shirt on his head to resemble hair cascading down his shoulders. In honor of his unspoken birthday wish, Noah’s family (including his lighter-skinned, mustached father; his brown-skinned, wheelchair-using mother; and his brown-skinned sister) gives him his first wig. The child’s joy is moving, captured in Yang’s vivacious images, which glow with warm colors and lively details. This gesture of celebration has beautiful consequences. One year later, Noah happily sports shoulder-length locks, which he continues to grow. Combined with backmatter offering helpful “conversation starters” around “gender, identity, and self-expression,” this tender validation of one boy’s emotional experiences around his gender presentation is a valuable, affirming tale for all children. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A heartwarming story that’s ultimately about far more than hair. (Picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9781419745881
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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