THE BOY WITH PINK HAIR

Name: THE BOY WITH PINK HAIR
Author: Perez Hilton
ISBN: 978-0-451-23420-9

by Perez Hilton & illustrated by Jen Hill ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2011

There don't seem to be many contemporary books that tackle this topic as effectively as the classic Oliver Button Is a...

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There aren't any direct references to boys liking boys or girls liking girls in this story about open-mindedness; it simply calls for tolerance for those who may be thought of as "different," such as this boy, who in addition to his startling looks also likes to cook.

There don't seem to be many contemporary books that tackle this topic as effectively as the classic Oliver Button Is a Sissy, by Tomie dePaola (1979), or William's Doll, by Charlotte Zolotow (1972), with the exception of The Sissy Duckling, by Harvey Fierstein (2002). Unfortunately, this one, by another celebrity author, is an almost identical rehash of Duckling's story, in which he is ostracized because he's different, until his differences end up saving the day. Here, the Boy with Pink Hair is teased for his looks, although his enlightened parents are always supportive, encouraging his interest in cooking and not "pester[ing] him to play games that he didn't like." While the message is undoubtedly worthy, it's hard to imagine many kids actually enjoying this transparent, didactic, predictable tale. The arch tone, lessons for parents and the fact that the kids are unnamed ("the Boy with Pink Hair," "the Boy with a Bad Attitude," etc.) distance this from young readers. The bright, painterly illustrations are appealing, but they're not enough to rescue this attempt.

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2011

ISBN: 978-0-451-23420-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Celebra/Penguin

Review Posted Online: July 27, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2011

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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IMANI'S MOON

by JaNay Brown-Wood ; illustrated by Hazel Mitchell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 14, 2014

While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child...

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Imani endures the insults heaped upon her by the other village children, but she never gives up her dreams.

The Masai girl is tiny compared to the other children, but she is full of imagination and perseverance. Luckily, she has a mother who believes in her and tells her stories that will fuel that imagination. Mama tells her about the moon goddess, Olapa, who wins over the sun god. She tells Imani about Anansi, the trickster spider who vanquishes a larger snake. (Troublingly, the fact that Anansi is a West African figure, not of the Masai, goes unaddressed in both text and author’s note.) Inspired, the tiny girl tries to find new ways to achieve her dream: to touch the moon. One day, after crashing to the ground yet again when her leafy wings fail, she is ready to forget her hopes. That night, she witnesses the adumu, the special warriors’ jumping dance. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to jump to the moon. After jumping all day, she reaches the moon, meets Olapa and receives a special present from the goddess, a small moon rock. Now she becomes the storyteller when she relates her adventure to Mama. The watercolor-and-graphite illustrations have been enhanced digitally, and the night scenes of storytelling and fantasy with their glowing stars and moons have a more powerful impact than the daytime scenes, with their blander colors.

While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child to be admired. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-934133-57-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Mackinac Island Press

Review Posted Online: July 28, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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CLAYMATES

by Dev Petty ; illustrated by Lauren Eldridge ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 20, 2017

The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...

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Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.

A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.

The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)