Inspired by the emotional barriers of humans, Kuklin’s (Harlem Nutcracker, 2001, etc.) latest photo essay focuses on the form and function of walls. The theme “We share walls” repeats throughout as photographs framed in black stand out against muted images and earth-toned blocks of color. The opening spread, for example, shows “The Algarve,” a building in southern Portugal. A deep-green wall cuts diagonally across the navy sky; a white turret punctuates the center. On the next spread, a winding wall borders a French village (“Some are / old and thick / and made / of stone”) and a glass wall rises above a New York City rooftop (“Some are / clear and thin / for the sky / to come in”). Throughout, Kuklin juxtaposes ancient (the Lascaux caves painted by Cro-Magnons) and modern (a wall in Soho, New York, decorated with a trio of images of a human form running, jumping, and leaping into the air); the ephemeral (sandcastles in Southampton, Long Island) and the seemingly rock solid (a weather worn facade of an Italian building). Some, like the colorful school yard mural in Harlem and a memorial to a departed pet are simple celebrations while others such as the Great Wall of China signify larger cultural and political themes (“Fortress — / barricade — / rampart — / fence. / a wall / can separate / a very large / space”). Large print and bold layout make for a pleasing visual presentation. Labels identify the location where each photograph was taken while an Author’s Note provides additional details. Kuklin’s thoughtful exploration of these human-made creations is sure to inspire discussion. (Picture book/nonfiction. 5-9)
Pub Date: April 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-399-23492-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2002
A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event.
A vibrantly illustrated account of the Birmingham Children’s Crusade through the eyes of a young girl who volunteers to participate.
Morrison’s signature style depicts each black child throughout the book as a distinct individual; on the endpapers, children hold signs that collectively create a “Civil Rights and the Children’s Crusade” timeline, placing the events of the book in the context of the greater movement. When Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. comes to speak at her church, a girl and her brother volunteer to march in their parents’ stead. The narrative succinctly explains why the Children’s Crusade was a necessary logistical move, one that children and parents made with careful consideration and despite fear. Lines of text (“Let the children march. / They will lead the way // The path may be long and / troubled, but I’m gonna walk on!”) are placed within the illustrations in bold swoops for emphasis. Morrison’s powerful use of perspective makes his beautiful oil paintings even more dynamic and conveys the intensity of the situations depicted, including the children’s being arrested, hosed, and jailed. The child crusaders, regardless of how badly they’re treated, never lose their dignity, which the art conveys flawlessly. While the children win the day, such details as the Confederate flag subtly connect the struggle to the current day.
A powerful retrospective glimpse at a key event. (timeline, afterword, artist’s statement, quote sources, bibliography) (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Jan. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-544-70452-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
An inspiring story of young boy's compelling desire to read. As a boy of nine, Booker works in a salt mine from the dark of early morning to the gloom of night, hungry for a meal, but even hungrier to learn to read. Readers follow him on his quest in Malden, Virginia, where he finds inspiration in a man ``brown as me'' reading a newspaper on a street corner. An alphabet book helps, but Booker can't make the connection to words. Seeking out ``that brown face of hope'' once again, Booker gains a sense of the sounds represented by letters, and these become his deliverance. Bradby's fine first book is tautly written, with a poetic, spiritual quality in every line. The beautifully executed, luminous illustrations capture the atmosphere of an African-American community post-slavery: the drudgery of days consumed by back- breaking labor, the texture of private lives conducted by lantern- light. There is no other context or historical note about Booker T. Washington's life, leaving readers to piece together his identity. Regardless, this is an immensely satisfying, accomplished work, resonating first with longing and then with joy. (Picture book. 5- 8)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 1995
ISBN: 0-531-09464-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 1995
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