A high-quality introduction to an important figure in American literature.
Early life experiences and talent set James Baldwin on the path to greatness.
James Baldwin, called “Jimmy” by family and friends, grew up in Harlem during the Great Depression. He loved reading and found a way to express himself through writing, which became an important part of who he was. One of his teachers, Orilla Winfield, nurtured his interest in the arts, taking him to plays and museums, and when he was in junior high, he was mentored by poet Countee Cullen. Jimmy initially followed in his father’s footsteps by becoming a preacher, until he realized writing could mean so much more. He sought out other creatives and eventually moved to Europe. In Switzerland he fell in love with painter Lucien Happersberger and completed Go Tell It on the Mountain (1953), his first published novel. In Europe, he felt free from the discrimination of life in the United States, but he remained connected to the struggle for rights in his home country, using his unique talent to write and speak about the Black experience. Writing in verse, Meadows employs vivid imagery to convey Baldwin’s passion for writing, his desire for freedom, and his love for friends and family. The stories she chooses to highlight provide a full picture of the iconic writer and demonstrate his importance in African American literary history. Digital illustrations complement the text with a rich, warm palette.
A high-quality introduction to an important figure in American literature. (author’s note, James Baldwin’s oeuvre, timeline, selected sources, photos, photo credits) (Picture-book biography. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 30, 2024
ISBN: 9780063273474
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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