In spite of flaws, the poignant longing for freedom shines through.
A young girl seems to lead an idyllic life somewhere in post–World War II Eastern Europe.
Happy in her rural home and safe in the care of a loving family, the girl longs to extend her reach and uses her art to create an imagined world that she can visit in her dreams. The narrative shifts suddenly, and the girl is now in East Berlin in the shadow of the Berlin Wall, her dreams unfulfilled, her person trapped and unable to leave. How many years have passed and what happened in the interim are never explained. The narrative jumps ahead 30 more years, and the protagonist is a mother with a young son when the Berlin Wall finally crumbles. She and her little boy take a brave leap and end up in Newfoundland, where they can build a new life in the crisp, wild wind of a rugged land with beauty of its own. The author’s note reveals it’s her own story, narrated in descriptive, emotional language. Illustrations employ rich tones and deep textures conveying both her beloved homeland and her beautiful adopted home while the dreariness and despair of East Berlin are seen in dull grays, khakis, and browns. It is a powerful tale, but there are significant stumbles in its telling. As well as wondering at huge chunks of missing time and events, young readers might believe that Canada is next door to Berlin. The note provides some clarifying information.
In spite of flaws, the poignant longing for freedom shines through. (Picture book/memoir. 5-10)Pub Date: Jan. 26, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-927917-32-9
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2020
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song.
Through the power of music, Lucimarian Tolliver is reminded of what’s important.
Lucy is one of the only children of African descent on her block—called Lucy Street—in 1930s Akron, Ohio, but all her neighbors share one commonality: poverty. Lucy’s carefree spirit is dampened when her family’s furniture is repossessed one day. She visits her grandfather, who comforts her by singing the folk standard “This Little Light of Mine.” Grandpa tells Lucy that she’s destined for greatness and that she should never stop singing, even through life’s toughest moments. Back at home, Lucy’s father scolds her for singing at the dinner table, so she quickly finishes eating and wanders outside and sings into the night. Her voice reaches her family and neighbors, who are all touched by her song. Digital illustrations evoke the time period in muted tones, featuring endearing characters with simple yet expressive features. The visual subject matter is repetitive from page to page, as are the incorporated lyrics of “This Little Light of Mine.” Based on Lucimarian Tolliver’s experiences growing up during the Depression, the text contains an epilogue but lacks backmatter detailing historical context or more information about Lucy’s life. Though the themes of optimism and the importance of family, faith, and music shine through the text, readers may be left with more questions than answers.
A brief but sweet snapshot of an inspiring girl who finds hope in song. (Picture-book biography. 5-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780063222540
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
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