A stirring expression of the triumph of the human spirit.
A champion athlete soared in more ways than one.
When Hungarian gymnast Ágnes Keleti twirled through the air, she forgot about war and the oppression she and other Jewish people faced after the Nazis came to power. But she couldn’t forget forever: Her coach explained that Jews were now barred from the gym. A fellow Jewish athlete told her about his secret training place—a local school gym—and invited Ágnes to join him. Practicing clandestinely worked temporarily, until the Nazis overtook Budapest. A determined Ágnes refused to wear the yellow star required of all Jewish people and urged her family to go into hiding. Her mother and sister left almost immediately; her father refused to abandon his factory. Ágnes, too famous to remain in Budapest, departed for a small village with documents purchased from a Christian woman and became a maid for a pro-Nazi family. After the war, Ágnes reunited with her mother and sister but learned her father had perished at Auschwitz. Focused on the future, Ágnes ultimately won the Hungarian National Championship again and triumphed at the 1952 Olympics. Readers will appreciate this inspiring tale that addresses the anguish Ágnes endured while emphasizing her indomitable spirit; young people will eagerly cheer her on. The energetic, stylized illustrations depicting Ágnes’ gymnastics routines serve as an effective metaphor for her endurance in the face of oppression. Period details are depicted well.
A stirring expression of the triumph of the human spirit. (author’s note with a photo of Ágnes at age 95) (Picture-book biography. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9798765619773
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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