SKATER CIELO

Following a brutal tumble, a rad little skater rediscovers the courage to pick up the board again with the help of her friends.

Cielo loves to skate all over town, devoting her time to zipping around with “a steezy push and a good pop.” Conquering sidewalks via ollies and breezing down streets in fast downhill rides, the fearless brown-skinned girl zips across town, her own playground. When a new skate park with deep pools opens, Cielo finds a new obstacle to overcome: The Whale, aka the biggest, highest pool at the park. The fateful day arrives, and Cielo hangs over the rim, ready to skate down The Whale. Bam! Instead, she stumbles, falling flat. Shaken and frustrated, Cielo gives up the board altogether. Until one day, a couple of fellow skaters call to her from the skate park. Encouraged by her newfound friends, Mia and Miro (both of whom have lighter skin), Cielo reattempts The Whale. Will Cielo fly again? An overall charmer, Katstaller’s ode to the etherealness and camaraderie of skateboarding pops and snaps from page to page. Colorful, sparse art with bold colors and unusual angles commits to an exceptional depiction of Cielo’s flights and tumbles. Above all, the emphasis on community offers a rousing image of skateboarding, accentuated by an author’s note and a glossary that clarifies terms and lingo for newcomers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Like a steezy gem.