One Girl

September 1, 2020
While sitting outside her home one night, a forlorn little girl is surprised by a book that falls from the sky. Glowing like a shooting star, the book lands at her feet. When she opens it, the pages transport her to a whimsical, imaginary land full of possibility. The girl is so enamored with the book that she takes it to school and shares it with her classmates. Inspired by what she's read, the girl begins to write her own, original story. Swept up in the magic she has created, the girl's classmates start reading--and, in one case, writing--books of their own. Eventually the first girl's words take flight, shimmering as they circle the Earth and land at the homes of other children who, presumably, will be inspired to find their voices. Beaty's rhyming text is charmingly sparse: each word is carefully chosen, and the language glimmers with precision. Much of the story is told by Phumiruk's gorgeous illustrations, which not only feature a protagonist who appears to be Asian, but also children with diverse skin tones and hair textures; all the children appear to be wearing school uniforms. While the words and pictures work in synchrony, creating a lyrical call to action encouraging children to find their voices and, simultaneously, their inner strength, the plot itself is abstract and widely open to interpretation, such that the book reads more like a poem than a traditional story. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 60.6% of actual size.) A charming, rhyming picture book designed to inspire. (Picture book. 3-7)

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September 7, 2020
A girl sits on a porch at night, looking pensive and sad. Suddenly, like a shooting star falling to earth, a glowing book lands at her feet. “One Girl./ One spark,” writes Beaty (the Questioneers series), as Phumiruk’s (Counting on Katherine) softly radiant digital and pencil art show just how powerful writing’s spark can be. As vines grow from the book’s center, the girl wanders through a new world where books grow on trees, a space shuttle zooms overhead carrying more volumes, and signs of female empowerment abound: a woman artist sits at an easel, another gives a speech from a podium made entirely of books. The girl attends school, begins to write a story of her own, and inspires her classmates to do the same; together, they create a cluster that shoots through the sky to reach other children, including, as the book closes, another lone girl sitting on her porch in the night. Skirting sentimentality by fully respecting the curiosity of its young protagonist, this poetic tribute to story focuses on the power of a potential unleashed. An author’s note discusses the importance of educating girls worldwide. Ages 5–7. Author’s agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. Illustrator’s agent: Deborah Warren, East/West Literary.

October 1, 2020

K-Gr 2-Beaty (Rosie Revere, Engineer and other popular STEAM-themed stories) tells a dreamy tale about female empowerment. An unnamed girl sits in front of her house in a dark setting, part of a village in the mountains. A book, bathed in bright light, falls out of the sky and lands at her feet. As the girl begins to read, the book lights a spark in her, and she steps out of the darkness and into a lighter and brighter setting. She encounters women of different races engaging in activities such as painting, stargazing, and public speaking. After the girl finishes the book, she heads to school, where she is shown writing her own story and then sharing it with other girls. The final illustration depicts bright lights flying across the globe meant to imply that books as sparks are flying all around, inspiring others to learn and grow. This story has sparse text and is told mainly through the illustrations, which were digitally created and feature kids of various skin colors and images of oversized pencils, books, stars, flowers, butterflies, and rockets. The author's note states that millions of girls around the world are denied an education, and then provides links to organizations that focus on educating girls. VERDICT The story may be abstract, but the positive message about the power of reading, and education for everyone, is of value. Recommended for larger collections.-Melanie Kletter, School Library Journal

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