Worthy songs of praise for Latine legends.
Well-known and potentially less familiar Latin American artists, scientists, and more step into the spotlight in this companion volume to Bravo! (2017).
In a brief introduction, Engle adds intent behind this “brief sampler of poems” on “independent thinkers who serve as role models for determination or creativity.” Surveying the Americas, the author considers figures from eras as far back as the 15th century—see the fierce poem “Proud” on Anacaona, the brave leader of the Taíno people—to contemporary times. Historical trailblazers such as the revolutionist Simón Bolívar and chroniclers Martín de la Cruz and Juan Badiano stand beside the athletic might of Cuban Olympic winner Ramón Fonst Segundo and renowned soccer player Pelé. About half of the featured heroes are women, including the Indigenous Peruvian resistance leader Micaela Bastidas Puyucahua and wartime healer Mariana Grajales Cuello. Each vaguely biographical poem amounts to a few stanzas, ranging from the sublime—see “Courageous,” a powerful ode to modern Indigenous environmentalists—to the perfunctory, like in “Movie Star” for Juano Hernández: “Many years later, in 1949, I receive / a Golden Globe nomination for my role / as the star of Intruder in the Dust, a movie.” Short biographical notes at the end offer a few more clues for readers to explore further on their own. Menéndez’s watercolor artwork shines throughout each hero’s double-page spread, depicting these immense figures in bold form against mostly monochromatic backgrounds of warm colors.
Worthy songs of praise for Latine legends. (Collective biography/picture-book poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9781250313942
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Godwin Books
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch.
Basketball-playing twins find challenges to their relationship on and off the court as they cope with changes in their lives.
Josh Bell and his twin, Jordan, aka JB, are stars of their school basketball team. They are also successful students, since their educator mother will stand for nothing else. As the two middle schoolers move to a successful season, readers can see their differences despite the sibling connection. After all, Josh has dreadlocks and is quiet on court, and JB is bald and a trash talker. Their love of the sport comes from their father, who had also excelled in the game, though his championship was achieved overseas. Now, however, he does not have a job and seems to have health problems the parents do not fully divulge to the boys. The twins experience their first major rift when JB is attracted to a new girl in their school, and Josh finds himself without his brother. This novel in verse is rich in character and relationships. Most interesting is the family dynamic that informs so much of the narrative, which always reveals, never tells. While Josh relates the story, readers get a full picture of major and minor players. The basketball action provides energy and rhythm for a moving story.
Poet Alexander deftly reveals the power of the format to pack an emotional punch. (Verse fiction. 9-12)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-10771-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
SEEN & HEARD
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Rich, naturalistic details will delight lovers of marine life.
A Monterey Bay sea otter comes of age.
Odder’s mom told her to stay away from sharks, humans, and anything else she didn’t understand, but after saving her friend Kairi from a shark attack, she encounters all three. Injured herself during the rescue, Odder ends up recuperating at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, or Highwater as the otters call it, where she once lived as a young orphaned pup. Last time, the humans helped her reintegrate into the wild, but because of her injuries this time the outcome might be different. Soon Kairi is there too, stricken with “the shaking sickness” and having lost her newborn pup. Now Kairi is fostering a new pup, and soon one is introduced to an initially reluctant Odder in hopes that she will help raise it so it can return to the wild. The free verse effortlessly weaves in scientific information, giving Odder a voice without overly anthropomorphizing any of the animals. The natural appeal of sea otters will draw readers in, but the book doesn’t shy away from real-world threats such as predators, disease, and pollution. Loosely based on the stories of real sea otters rehabilitated at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, this novel will give readers lots to talk about, but uneven pacing and a rushed ending may leave some unsatisfied. Charming black-and-white spot art captures the world and life of the sea.
Rich, naturalistic details will delight lovers of marine life. (glossary, author’s note, bibliography, resources) (Verse novel. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 20, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-14742-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
