Deftly brings to light a lesser-known horror in the context of America’s history of racism against Chinese immigrants.
A recounting of the 1871 riot that left 18 Chinese immigrants dead in Los Angeles.
Using fire as a metaphor, Blackburne asks readers to consider the causes and effects of flashpoints in history before exploring the factors that led to this massacre. Her account begins decades earlier, when, due to war and disaster, thousands of Chinese men migrated to California in hopes of making a fortune in gold before returning home. When “gold proved elusive,” they sought other jobs. By 1871, 172 of these men had formed a settlement in Los Angeles; the author focuses on three in particular: a doctor named Gene Tong, musician Tong Won, and cook Wing Chee. Blackburne poetically juxtaposes descriptions of these men (“Immigrants. Humans”) with the buildup of xenophobia (“Aliens. Rats. Barbarians”). Words and violence continued to escalate until “a spark” of a gunfight feud ignited the fuel of hate. A mob looted stores and killed 18 people, including the three men introduced earlier. As the narrative wraps up, Blackburne considers the injustice perpetrated and the hypocrisy of newspapers that condemned the deaths but that had fanned the flames of racism; she ends on a hopeful note as she ponders how a country can learn from its past. Questions posed to readers throughout allow space for reflection, while Xu’s art, created with ink and Photoshop, illustrates the action and the emotion with varied compositions.
Deftly brings to light a lesser-known horror in the context of America’s history of racism against Chinese immigrants. (historical note, photographs, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 7-12)Pub Date: March 4, 2025
ISBN: 9798765627228
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many.
Young Raina is 9 when she throws up for the first time that she remembers, due to a stomach bug. Even a year later, when she is in fifth grade, she fears getting sick.
Raina begins having regular stomachaches that keep her home from school. She worries about sharing food with her friends and eating certain kinds of foods, afraid of getting sick or food poisoning. Raina’s mother enrolls her in therapy. At first Raina isn’t sure about seeing a therapist, but over time she develops healthy coping mechanisms to deal with her stress and anxiety. Her therapist helps her learn to ground herself and relax, and in turn she teaches her classmates for a school project. Amping up the green, wavy lines to evoke Raina’s nausea, Telgemeier brilliantly produces extremely accurate visual representations of stress and anxiety. Thought bubbles surround Raina in some panels, crowding her with anxious “what if”s, while in others her negative self-talk appears to be literally crushing her. Even as she copes with anxiety disorder and what is eventually diagnosed as mild irritable bowel syndrome, she experiences the typical stresses of school life, going from cheer to panic in the blink of an eye. Raina is white, and her classmates are diverse; one best friend is Korean American.
With young readers diagnosed with anxiety in ever increasing numbers, this book offers a necessary mirror to many. (Graphic memoir. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-545-85251-7
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Graphix/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
A solid base hit, with guidance on the great American pastime—and life itself.
Actor Renna, best known for his role in the 1993 film The Sandlot, offers baseball-themed anecdotes and affirmations.
Heartfelt reminders that life’s a marathon, not a sprint, may be familiar, but many young readers will find them revelatory. The author also stresses that failure is just as much a part of life as success, encourages children to embrace individuality and work hard despite being the underdog, and emphasizes that practice shows commitment and “prepares you for the big game or the test.” All these lessons will be relatable to young people, and many are supported by real-life stories: basketball superstar Michael Jordan’s short-lived stint in minor league baseball, an unexpected victory during Game One of the 2015 World Series, and Renna’s willingness to swallow his fear when, as a young teen, he was handed a new script just an hour before shooting a pivotal scene in The Sandlot. Each tidbit stands alone, but taken together, all 20 tenets provide a lively road map to life. The colorful spot art features images of diverse young baseball players, plus some visually appealing double-page spreads filled with movement and action. White space is used thoughtfully, allowing readers to reflect on how these words of wisdom might apply to them.
A solid base hit, with guidance on the great American pastime—and life itself. (Informational picture book. 7-11)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593754870
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
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