An adventurer receives her due and should inspire readers to reach for their dreams.
A remarkable woman, a remarkable achievement.
You might call Annie Kopchovsky (nee Annie Cohen, 1870-1947) free-wheeling. This young Jewish immigrant became the first woman to circumnavigate the globe by bike—in only 15 months. When Annie arrived in the United States from Latvia, life seemed auspicious, but women’s lives were restricted. She wanted excitement, and the bicycle—innovative in the late 19th century—seemed ideal. Setting out from Boston in June 1894, she traveled no more than 10 miles daily; since her skirt got entangled in the wheels, she eventually eschewed “ladylike” skirts in favor of pants. When Annie couldn’t find accommodations, she slept rough—in barns, under bridges, out in the open. In November 1894, Annie sailed from New York to France and discovered her knack for spinning thrilling tales about her exploits that captivated paying audiences. (They were mostly fabrications.) Visiting Jerusalem was especially emotional; she then proceeded deeper into Asia, still inventing escapades. She sailed from Japan to the United States, arriving in March 1895, but she still had to return to Boston, her starting point, by September. She did, to the huzzahs of her proud family, nation, and laudatory newspaper articles. Krensky has crafted an exciting read that deservedly highlights a little-known explorer; Annie’s wild tales enliven the narrative. The charming color illustrations expertly bring period and background details to life and capture Annie’s fierce determination.
An adventurer receives her due and should inspire readers to reach for their dreams. (author’s note) (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781681156576
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
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
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter.
The latest of many picture books about the young heroine from Pakistan, this one is narrated by Malala herself, with a frame that is accessible to young readers.
Malala introduces her story using a television show she used to watch about a boy with a magic pencil that he used to get himself and his friends out of trouble. Readers can easily follow Malala through her own discovery of troubles in her beloved home village, such as other children not attending school and soldiers taking over the village. Watercolor-and-ink illustrations give a strong sense of setting, while gold ink designs overlay Malala’s hopes onto her often dreary reality. The story makes clear Malala’s motivations for taking up the pen to tell the world about the hardships in her village and only alludes to the attempt on her life, with a black page (“the dangerous men tried to silence me. / But they failed”) and a hospital bracelet on her wrist the only hints of the harm that came to her. Crowds with signs join her call before she is shown giving her famous speech before the United Nations. Toward the end of the book, adult readers may need to help children understand Malala’s “work,” but the message of holding fast to courage and working together is powerful and clear.
An inspiring introduction to the young Nobel Peace Prize winner and a useful conversation starter. (Picture book/memoir. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-31957-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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