An excellent depiction of a life lived with purpose.
A kid-lit powerhouse team delivers a warm tribute to a civil rights icon known for making good trouble.
John Lewis grew up in segregated Troy, Alabama, raised by sharecropper parents who worked hard but had little to show for it. What his family did provide was love in abundance. Lewis’ desire for education often took a back seat to the needs of the farm, but he read whatever was available. As a teen, he heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. preach on the radio, and he was moved by King’s commitment to “truth and justice.” While in seminary in Nashville, Tennessee, Lewis connected with others working for justice through nonviolence and prepared to protest segregation. Challenging the status quo was difficult, and the students were attacked verbally and physically, even being arrested for purported disorderly conduct. But he persevered in the face of violence and even threats to his life; the book closes with Lewis leading protestors across the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama, in 1965. This eloquent biography makes clear that Lewis’ activism was grounded in the love and faith that surrounded him from an early age. Cline-Ransome’s clear, age-appropriate language conveys Lewis’ determination, while Ransome’s compelling illustrations, done with found paper, pencil drawings, and paint, perfectly complement the narrative. The use of vivid, patterned textures gives the book a homey, intimate feeling; Lewis’ life and work will feel immediate and deeply personal to readers.
An excellent depiction of a life lived with purpose. (author’s note, timeline, photographs, quote sources, selected bibliography) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781534496620
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
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
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist.
Frida Kahlo’s strong affection for and identification with animals form the lens through which readers view her life and work in this picture-book biography.
Each two-page spread introduces one or more of her pets, comparing her characteristics to theirs and adding biographical details. Confusingly for young readers, the beginning pages reference pets she owned as an adult, yet the illustrations and events referred to come from earlier in her life. Bonito the parrot perches in a tree overlooking young Frida and her family in her childhood home and pops up again later, just before the first mention of Diego Rivera. Granizo, the fawn, another pet from her adult years, is pictured beside a young Frida and her father along with a description of “her life as a little girl.” The author’s note adds important details about Kahlo’s life and her significance as an artist, as well as recommending specific paintings that feature her beloved animals. Expressive acrylic paintings expertly evoke Kahlo’s style and color palette. While young animal lovers will identify with her attachment to her pets and may enjoy learning about the Aztec origins of her Xolo dogs and the meaning of turkeys in ancient Mexico, the book may be of most interest to those who already have an interest in Kahlo’s life.
A supplemental rather than introductory book on the great artist. (Picture book/biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4269-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: June 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
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