Homage to a brave and dedicated aviation pioneer summoned in lyrical verse and paint-drenched, joyous illustrations. Lindbergh (There's a Cow in the Road!, 1993, etc.) writes an inspiring poem about Bessie Coleman, who in 1922 became the first licensed African-American aviator in the world. ``Nobody owns the sky'' is Bessie's response when anyone tries to talk her out of becoming an aviator. After being turned away by schools in the US, Bessie left her job as a manicurist for flying lessons in France. Once she was licensed, she became a stunt flyer and gave speeches. Then tragedy struck: ``But in Jacksonville, Florida, everyone cried,/Because Bessie's plane failed, and she fell, and she died.'' Vivid illustrations beautifully depict the upbeat message about pursuing dreams. One particularly vibrant painting of birds soaring in the cloud-filled sky illustrates the freedom inherent in flight: ``With the wind on their wings, flying free, flying true/You can call to them all, you can say, `Hey, you!/I'm coming up there, too!' '' (Picture book. 6-9)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1996
ISBN: 1-56402-533-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1996
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Sloat collaborates with Huffman, a Yu’pik storyteller, to infuse a traditional “origins” tale with the joy of creating. Hearing the old women of her village grumble that they have only tasteless crowberries for the fall feast’s akutaq—described as “Eskimo ice cream,” though the recipe at the end includes mixing in shredded fish and lard—young Anana carefully fashions three dolls, then sings and dances them to life. Away they bound, to cover the hills with cranberries, blueberries, and salmonberries. Sloat dresses her smiling figures in mixes of furs and brightly patterned garb, and sends them tumbling exuberantly through grassy tundra scenes as wildlife large and small gathers to look on. Despite obtrusively inserted pronunciations for Yu’pik words in the text, young readers will be captivated by the action, and by Anana’s infectious delight. (Picture book/folktale. 6-8)
Pub Date: June 1, 2004
ISBN: 0-88240-575-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2004
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Trickling, bubbling, swirling, rushing, a river flows down from its mountain beginnings, past peaceful country and bustling city on its way to the sea. Hooper (The Drop in My Drink, 1998, etc.) artfully evokes the water’s changing character as it transforms from “milky-cold / rattling-bold” to a wide, slow “sliding past mudflats / looping through marshes” to the end of its journey. Willey, best known for illustrating Geraldine McCaughrean’s spectacular folk-tale collections, contributes finely detailed scenes crafted in shimmering, intricate blues and greens, capturing mountain’s chill, the bucolic serenity of passing pastures, and a sense of mystery in the water’s shadowy depths. Though Hooper refers to “the cans and cartons / and bits of old wood” being swept along, there’s no direct conservation agenda here (for that, see Debby Atwell’s River, 1999), just appreciation for the river’s beauty and being. (Picture book/nonfiction. 7-9)
Pub Date: June 1, 2000
ISBN: 0-7636-0792-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2000
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