A well-intentioned clarion call for human solidarity that occasionally reduces less-fortunate people to objects of pity.
Ten short stories, all featuring children turning 11 years old, attempt to show the power of empathy.
In three of the stories, the protagonists, all refugees who present as children of color, find resilience through community. In the other seven tales, a relatively privileged child who reads as White by default learns “to step into someone else’s shoes.” In the opening story, Connor, a young boy, stumbles across a bit of trash that helps him see beyond family annoyances; with no way of knowing who wrote the miserable words he reads on a broken plate, he has the epiphany that any stranger he meets could be inwardly suffering. Ellis highlights the necessity of empathy for people who are less fortunate, such as in the closing tale about a soup kitchen volunteer who realizes his tormentor is “ashamed to be hungry.” In the story “Rock,” Dom, a shy Canadian boy, gets a rose crystal for his birthday that inadvertently conjures up a poor boy from Madagascar who wishes he could afford a bag of rice and a dress for his mother. Dom gains courage and a new friend; however, his efforts to help the Malagasy boy—who ultimately dies—smack of saviorism. It’s surprising that such unbalanced representation comes from Ellis (My Story Starts Here, 2019), who is acclaimed for showing that refugee children have many of the same goals and dreams as children from more secure environments.
A well-intentioned clarion call for human solidarity that occasionally reduces less-fortunate people to objects of pity. (Short stories. 8-10)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-77306-594-6
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to...
A group of talking farm animals catches wind of the farm owner’s intention to burn the barn (with them in it) for insurance money and hatches a plan to flee.
Bond begins briskly—within the first 10 pages, barn cat Burdock has overheard Dewey Baxter’s nefarious plan, and by Page 17, all of the farm animals have been introduced and Burdock is sharing the terrifying news. Grady, Dewey’s (ever-so-slightly) more principled brother, refuses to go along, but instead of standing his ground, he simply disappears. This leaves the animals to fend for themselves. They do so by relying on their individual strengths and one another. Their talents and personalities match their species, bringing an element of realism to balance the fantasy elements. However, nothing can truly compensate for the bland horror of the premise. Not the growing sense of family among the animals, the serendipitous intervention of an unknown inhabitant of the barn, nor the convenient discovery of an alternate home. Meanwhile, Bond’s black-and-white drawings, justly compared to those of Garth Williams, amplify the sense of dissonance. Charming vignettes and single- and double-page illustrations create a pastoral world into which the threat of large-scale violence comes as a shock.
Ironically, by choosing such a dramatic catalyst, the author weakens the adventure’s impact overall and leaves readers to ponder the awkward coincidences that propel the plot. (Animal fantasy. 8-10)Pub Date: July 7, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-544-33217-1
Page Count: 256
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: March 31, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2015
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit.
A new baby coming means Ryan has lots of opportunities to grow love.
Ryan has so much to look forward to this summer—she is going to be a big sister, and she finally gets to go to church camp! But new adventures bring challenges, too. Ryan feels like the baby is taking forever to arrive, and with Mom on bed rest, she isn’t able to participate in the family’s typical summer activities. Ryan’s Dad is still working the late shift, which means he gets home and goes to bed when she and her older brother, Ray, are waking up, so their quality daddy-daughter time is limited to one day a week. When the time for camp finally arrives, Ryan is so worried about bugs, ghosts, and sharing a cabin that she wonders if she should go at all. Watson’s heroine is smart and courageous, bringing her optimistic attitude to any challenge she faces. Hard topics like family finances and complex relationships with friends are discussed in an age-appropriate way. Watson continues to excel at crafting a sense of place; she transports readers to Portland, Oregon, with an attention to detail that can only come from someone who has loved that city. Ryan, her family, and friends are Black, and occasional illustrations by Mata spotlight their joy and make this book shine.
The second installment in this spirited series is a hit. (Fiction. 8-10)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0058-8
Page Count: 192
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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