A comprehensive look at an extraordinary life and continuing legacy.
A look into the formative years of Sen. Tammy Duckworth.
Duckworth is introduced as a young schoolgirl curiously examining a globe. An American citizen who was born in Bangkok, Thailand, she traveled “all over Southeast Asia with her family.” Tammy’s father worked for the United Nations, and she accompanied him as he helped refugees; while observing, young Tammy decided to dedicate herself to helping others. After bouts of homelessness and food insecurity while growing up, with Tammy supporting the family at one point by selling flowers by the roadside, she attended college and graduate school, then joined the Army National Guard. The evenly paced, thorough narrative reveals that after many years of service, Tammy nearly died in a helicopter crash in Iraq in 2004, leaving her with severe chronic pain and prosthetic legs. Phumiruk uses cooler muted colors to portray the physical and emotional obstacles Duckworth overcame during her long recovery and rehabilitation. Brighter and warmer colors are slowly incorporated onto each page as Duckworth, with the encouragement of a local senator, campaigned, lost one race, but eventually was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Duckworth continued to break down even more barriers after becoming a senator. With the birth of her second daughter, she was able to change chamber rules so that she could bring her infant daughter with her to vote. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A comprehensive look at an extraordinary life and continuing legacy. (timeline, information on Duckworth’s achievements, books and websites) (Picture-book biography. 5-9)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2205-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022
PERSPECTIVES
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
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song.
Through the power of music, Lucimarian Tolliver is reminded of what’s important.
Lucy is one of the only children of African descent on her block—called Lucy Street—in 1930s Akron, Ohio, but all her neighbors share one commonality: poverty. Lucy’s carefree spirit is dampened when her family’s furniture is repossessed one day. She visits her grandfather, who comforts her by singing the folk standard “This Little Light of Mine.” Grandpa tells Lucy that she’s destined for greatness and that she should never stop singing, even through life’s toughest moments. Back at home, Lucy’s father scolds her for singing at the dinner table, so she quickly finishes eating and wanders outside and sings into the night. Her voice reaches her family and neighbors, who are all touched by her song. Digital illustrations evoke the time period in muted tones, featuring endearing characters with simple yet expressive features. The visual subject matter is repetitive from page to page, as are the incorporated lyrics of “This Little Light of Mine.” Based on Lucimarian Tolliver’s experiences growing up during the Depression, the text contains an epilogue but lacks backmatter detailing historical context or more information about Lucy’s life. Though the themes of optimism and the importance of family, faith, and music shine through the text, readers may be left with more questions than answers.
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song. (Picture-book biography. 5-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780063222540
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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