With delightful illustrations, this is a calming way to inspire timid children to realize exciting dreams.
As a child, the world seems very dangerous for young Jill. How does her imagination lead her to become an underwater explorer?
In the spirit of girl power, this title reflects on the rare life of a female cave diver and underwater photographer. Aquanaut and author Heinerth looks back at the childhood memories that shaped her career. The pages alternate between depictions of the round little girl and the adult diver in parallel situations. The young White girl, with brown bangs held back by a red bandana, gives a hand to someone who fell off a bike. The accompanying first-person narration states that little Jill “wanted to help others.” A turn of the page shows the grown-up diver releasing a trapped turtle from entanglement in a net. With double-page spreads brimming with color and cheer, the illustrations tie the motivations of a timid child to the underwater fulfillment of the adult. Moving back and forth in time, the narrative describes how the little girl strove to conquer her fears. Her success as an adult proves that she did. While the illustrations entertain, however, the text examples are a little ho-hum, ceding to the illustrations the task of conveying the magic of cave diving. Luckily, the author’s note helps to mitigate that, and accompanying photographs pack some punch. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.25-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 13.5% of actual size.)
With delightful illustrations, this is a calming way to inspire timid children to realize exciting dreams. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6363-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2020
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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