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YOU ARE A STAR, RUTH BADER GINSBURG

Name: YOU ARE A STAR, RUTH BADER GINSBURG
Author: Dean Robbins
ISBN: 978-1-338-76766-7

From the You Are a Star series

by Dean Robbins ; illustrated by Sarah Green ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 7, 2021

A warm, informative, and entertaining biography of a pioneering scholar, lawyer, and judge.

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In this first volume of a new nonfiction series, journalist Robbins regales readers with tales of the notorious RBG, former associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Conversational first-person narration, inset graphics, fact boxes, and appealing digital illustrations combine to paint a well-rounded picture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg from childhood to adulthood. Readers will be interested to learn about RBG’s formative years growing up in Brooklyn, New York; her struggles with sexism; her supportive family; and how she stood up for women, immigrants, people of color, and same-sex couples seeking fair treatment under the law during her long, illustrious career. Bader Ginsburg’s strong spirit, unrivaled work ethic, sense of humor, and dedication to equality and justice shine through in this telling. Details that youngsters have likely not considered—for example, the lack of female bathrooms in male-dominated spaces such as law schools and the Supreme Court—capture the time period and show the realities of the everyday sexism RGB faced. The closing spread extends a compelling invitation: “Won’t you join us in making the world a better place?” Although the text can sometimes feel a bit cloying, overall the story bubbles with enthusiasm and interesting tidbits that will draw children in.

A warm, informative, and entertaining biography of a pioneering scholar, lawyer, and judge. (author’s note, notes, timeline, resources, glossary) (Picture book biography. 5-7)

Pub Date: Dec. 7, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-338-76766-7

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Scholastic

Review Posted Online: Dec. 2, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SHAPE OF THINGS
by Dean Robbins ; illustrated by Matt Tavares

- BOOK REVIEW
THE FASTEST DRUMMER
by Dean Robbins ; illustrated by Susanna Chapman

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU ARE A STAR, MALALA YOUSAFZAI
by Dean Robbins ; illustrated by Maithili Joshi

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LUCY SINGS ON LUCY STREET

by Lawrence Roberts & Sally-Ann Roberts ; illustrated by Jestenia Southerland ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2025

A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR

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ABC OF FEELINGS

by Bonnie Lui ; illustrated by Bonnie Lui ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 14, 2021

A mixed bag.

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An alphabetical tour of emotions.

This British import mixes words that many young kids will know, such as brave, kind, and mad (the last defined in the American sense, as angry), with less-familiar ones such as overwhelmed and vulnerable. It even features at least one word that may be new to adults: “X is for Xenial….Xenial is being welcoming to strangers.” Compounding the difficulty here, the visual image of a Black kid dressed as a magician hugging a rabbit they’ve pulled out of a hat does not exactly illustrate xeniality (xenialness?). Other illustrations do a better job of helping readers understand the words being introduced. The illustrations feature racially diverse children and are usually paired in each double-page spread: “A is for Anxious. Anxious is feeling really worried about something. / B is for Brave. Brave is being nervous about something and doing it anyway.” On the A page, a brown-skinned kid cowers from the dragon that encircles their bed, as in a nightmare. Across the gutter on the B page, the ferociously scowling child confronts the now-intimidated monster. Kids will get an immediate sense of those two words. Animals, real and imaginary, often play a role in the pictures. The book will be best shared one on one or in very small groups, when children can really spend time examining the pictures and talking about their own impression of what is happening in each picture. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A mixed bag. (word list) (Picture book. 5-7)