A straightforward sports fantasy with invaluable lessons for young ballplayers.
Basketball-loving Maxwell shows up to Basketball Town with hoop dreams…and a lot to learn.
Basketball Town is exactly what it sounds like, a world where basketball-shaped mountains loom in the distance, balls flow from waterfalls like wet jump shots, and even rainbows are basketball printed, all brought to life by Johnson’s charming digital illustrations. Maxwell immediately recognizes this as “THE BEST PLACE EVER” when he arrives after falling asleep one night. But eventually he discovers that competition in a town with only one thing on its mind is tough. Even the Mayor recognizes that Maxwell needs to work on his skills—in the appropriately named suburb of Skillsville. The ensuing training montage is as motivational as it is silly. Maxwell takes classes at “the College of the Crossover” and gets his “dunking diploma from Phi Slamma Jamma.” He’s good but still needs more work according to the Mayor, who looks curiously like Maxwell’s dad. The importance of dedication and teamwork is the ultimate takeaway of Maxwell’s stint in Basketball Town and something that carries him through the impromptu championship game he checks into with five minutes left—he scores the winning bucket!—all the way to when he awakes to real-world basketball practice with his team and supportive dad; readers will come away with good pointers on how to become strong athletes. Maxwell, his dad, and the Mayor are Black; Basketball Town is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A straightforward sports fantasy with invaluable lessons for young ballplayers. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9781536219777
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)
Bewitched by the rhythms of jazz all around her in Depression-era Kansas City, little Melba Doretta Liston longs to make music in this fictional account of a little-known jazz great.
Picking up the trombone at 7, the little girl teaches herself to play with the support of her Grandpa John and Momma Lucille, performing on the radio at 8 and touring as a pro at just 17. Both text and illustrations make it clear that it’s not all easy for Melba; “The Best Service for WHITES ONLY” reads a sign in a hotel window as the narrative describes a bigotry-plagued tour in the South with Billie Holiday. But joy carries the day, and the story ends on a high note, with Melba “dazzling audiences and making headlines” around the world. Russell-Brown’s debut text has an innate musicality, mixing judicious use of onomatopoeia with often sonorous prose. Morrison’s sinuous, exaggerated lines are the perfect match for Melba’s story; she puts her entire body into her playing, the exaggerated arch of her back and thrust of her shoulders mirroring the curves of her instrument. In one thrilling spread, the evening gown–clad instrumentalist stands over the male musicians, her slide crossing the gutter while the back bow disappears off the page to the left. An impressive discography complements a two-page afterword and a thorough bibliography.
Readers will agree that “Melba Doretta Liston was something special.” (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-60060-898-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2014
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