``You can know where you're going in this world only if you know where you've been!'' Addressing adults as much as children, the narrator fondly recalls the sights and sounds of her neighborhood, especially Miss Ida's porch, a ``telling place'' where one summer night she heard old Mr. Fisher recall the time Duke Ellington himself came to stay because no hotel in town would have him. Another neighbor remembers hearing Marian Anderson sing at the Lincoln Memorial; a third, her farewell concert at Constitution Hall 25 years later. The author works earnestly and effectively to establish a sense of historical continuity; her strong purpose is buffered by some eloquent writing, and also by Cooper's soft-focus paintings, in which past and present mingle in warm medleys of brown and gold. List of biographies, recordings, and two videotapes. (Fiction/Young reader. 7-10), and also by Cooper's soft-focus paintings, in which past and present mingle in warm medleys of brown and gold. List of biographies, recordings, and two videotapes. (Fiction/Young reader. 7-10)
Pub Date: Sept. 30, 1993
ISBN: 0-02-708915-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Four Winds/MacMillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1993
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
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