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August 28, 2008
Superstarred
Great news out of the NYC publishing world this morning: one of Jenny's books got a *starred* review in Kirkus! These are notoriously hard to achieve so this essentially puts her in the Michael Phelps category of editors. (And not just because of the body-shaving.)
Kirkus wrote (bold mine 'cause that's all the HTML you're gettin' this morning):
"Nicknamed Bird at birth, Mehkai idolizes his older brother Marcus. As they mature, both brothers excel in art. However, Marcus’s drug experimentation spirals into an all-consuming addiction. While Bird’s drawings are intricate and controlled, Marcus’s colorful graffiti sprawls, depicting a bird in flight. Bird’s conflicting emotions about Marcus authentically reflect his African-American family’s turmoil when his brother dies. His late Granddad’s friend responds to Bird’s despair with quiet strength: “You can fix a broken wing with a splint / and a bird can fly again / But you can’t fix a broken soul.”
Elliott’s sensitivity for her subjects resonates with Strickland’s distinctive mixed-media art. Shifting perspectives and colors reflect Marcus’s deepening addiction; his signature cap alters accordingly. Off-kilter lines exude the random energy and volatility of an addict. In two powerful double-page spreads, a doorway separates the brothers; Bird, flooded in light, reaches for Marcus, but his brother remains in the darkness. With unusual depth and raw conviction, Elliott’s child-centered narrative excels in this debut."
Support good children's literature and keep my frantzcy lady in Anthropologie and boba tea by pre-ordering it on Amazon here.
Posted by Bree at August 28, 2008 10:03 AM