An engaging tale about finding one’s voice and making faraway connections.
Two young girls learn about their respective cultures through a pen-pal program in Bleckwehl’s middle-grade novel.
Smart, quiet Neyah Jabari is a 12-year-old girl who lives in Letsokoane, a village in Kenya. Fetching water for various family and community needs is by far the most crucial chore assigned to her, as it affects the lives of everyone around her; for example, if there were no water for the cows, they wouldn’t be able to produce milk to feed families. Bibi, Neyah’s wise paternal grandmother, tells her that “Water is life,” but for the girl, who dreams of being a doctor, the fact that her own life is tied to retrieving water impedes her future by keeping her out of school for several days at a time. In addition, the local water scarcity is compounded by water uncleanliness. Through a pen-pal exchange initiated by her school’s encouraging headmaster, Neyah becomes friends with Abby Larson, a 12-year-old girl in Minnesota. Their interactions give Neyah the courage to speak up and work toward bringing a change to her village. There’s no lack of tragedy in this story, but there are also insightful lessons about tradition and the fear of change (involving Neyah’s father), showing compassion and finding silver linings (involving Neyah’s friend Malaika), and using persuasive writing skills and remaining persistent despite rejections. Bleckwehl doesn’t shy away from portraying the harsh living conditions in Neyah’s village, but she skillfully builds the beauty of it into the narrative by including dialogue that shows appreciation for its flora and fauna.
An engaging tale about finding one’s voice and making faraway connections.Pub Date: June 6, 2023
ISBN: 9781953491558
Page Count: 290
Publisher: Immortal Works Press
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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