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FARMER EVA'S GREEN GARDEN LIFE

From the Food Heroes series , Vol. 5

While championing female farmers, this sumptuous book also celebrates discovery and good taste.

This latest installment in the Food Heroes series explores how a Massachusetts woman—and friend of the author—became a farmer by learning to grow what she enjoyed eating.

Inspired by the scent of herbs at a local market, Eva Sommaripa started small by growing parsley, dill, and basil for her family on a parcel of land between the ocean and a forest. Martin’s lyrical verse describes the pleasure that Eva experienced: “Tending plants under the blue sky / soil on her hands, birdsong all around, / Eva’s best good time.” Eventually, she added other greens and herbs, with enough to spare for local chefs and her farm workers’ lunches. Eva’s curiosity about the life beneath her work boots led to research about the creatures living there, from worms to microbes. Richly textured spreads and spot art, composed of prints and collage elements, illuminate the vital roles of those “critters” and display Eva’s “compost buffet,” which includes coffee husks and “fish and chips” (seaweed and shells). “Eva’s Garden” has now been in business for more than 50 years; her nurturing has expanded to local children and new farmers who come to discover her sustainable methods. The joy Eva finds in the natural world culminates in her annual potluck, held in honor of the solstice. Eva’s community is a diverse one.

While championing female farmers, this sumptuous book also celebrates discovery and good taste. (notes from the author and Sommaripa, more info on Sommaripa, Eva’s recipe for growing pea shoots, information about underground creatures, resources) (Picture-book biography. 5-9)

Pub Date: June 25, 2024

ISBN: 9780998047775

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Readers to Eaters

Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024

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BASKETBALL DREAMS

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

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LUCY SINGS ON LUCY STREET

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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