Poignant and warm, just like the book that inspired it.
On the heels of The Velveteen Rabbit’s centenary comes a beautiful picture book about its author, Margery Williams.
Golden’s sensitive text traces Williams’ life from her childhood in London, where her father encouraged her creativity, to her years in New York after his death and into her adulthood, when she wrote The Velveteen Rabbit in the aftermath of World War I. These milestones are underscored by thematic throughlines about the value of imagination and the power of love. Escobar’s accompanying illustrations are reminiscent of those of Barbara Cooney or the Provensens, though embellished with collages by her own daughter to evoke Williams’ girlhood creativity and that of her children. Brief excerpts from her famous work appear in italicized text on several pages, reinforcing key emotions and events to suggest ways that Williams’ experiences may have influenced that now-classic story. The scene about Williams’ father’s death, for instance, is accompanied by a brief conversation between two characters from the book: “‘Does it hurt?’ asked the Rabbit. ‘Sometimes,’ said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.” As accomplished as words and pictures are, it’s a shame to see no reference to The Velveteen Rabbit’s art—neither the first images in a magazine by Williams’ own young daughter, Pamela Bianco, nor William Nicholson’s in the 1922 book. Despite this omission, however, there’s much to love here.
Poignant and warm, just like the book that inspired it. (Picture-book biography. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 21, 2025
ISBN: 9780358681540
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
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
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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