Shannon Wright (1)

An effervescent tribute to Jackie Ormes, widely considered to be the first nationally syndicated Black woman cartoonist in the United States.

In a buoyant profile and then a more detailed afterword, Todd takes her scandalously little-known subject from an exuberant child who “fills every space she can find” with drawings to the successful creator of several pre– and post–World War II comic strips featuring strong-minded young Black characters—notably Patty-Jo and Torchy Brown—who show more confront prejudice and fear in “quiet, mighty ways.” Reflecting her prominence in Chicago’s African American community, Ormes cuts a stylish figure in the jazzy illustrations, and Wright slips in samples of Ormes’ work to capture its vitality as well as the “Jackie joy” that characterized it. “I was always fighting battles,” she said, and along with championing women’s rights to work (and play: One cartoon reproduced here has Patty-Jo, dressed in tatters and holding a football, indignantly telling her sister, “What’cha mean it’s no game for girls? We got feet too, ain’t we?”), she was active enough in social causes and the early civil rights movement to be investigated by the FBI. Rather than complete this picture of her life, the author and the illustrator leave a blank page to represent the decades between her retirement from comics and her death in 1985, but there’s enough here to keep readers marveling at her distinctive character and achievements…and likely wondering why it’s taken this long to discover them. (This book was reviewed digitally; this review has been updated for factual accuracy.)

Long-overdue but welcome recognition for a pioneering graphic artist. (artist’s note, bibliography, photos) (Picture-book biography. 7-10)

-Kirkus Review show less

Ultimately heartwarming, though there’s plenty of anxious moments along the way to keep the pages turning.

I thought this was so well-constructed, since Maureen is the point of view character you are completely on board with her, convinced she’s the wronged party, only to discover it’s not so simple, there’s much more to Francine’s story as well. I loved both girls, they have plenty of depth and they’re dealing with relatable problems such as self-confidence, friendships, and show more carving out their own individual identities.

I liked that the parents have a presence in the story, the half-brother was great as well, though it really is the relationship between the sisters that made this such a memorable read, the strife and the love had a realistic feel, whether its the teddy bears and other issues of sharing a room while feuding or the lows and highs connected to Maureen’s fear of public speaking, the emotional impact on their bond is always strongly felt. show less

Coming into this, I was a bit burned out on twin sister stories where one is the introvert and the other is the social butterfly having read Rainbow Rowell's Fangirl and Fangirl: The Manga Vol. 1 just last week and yesterday. So I was slow to warm up to Twins, but the characters and solid writing and art of this middle school drama won me over.

As in Fangirl, a rift opens up between twin sisters when the outgoing one wants more independence, leaving the shy one to flounder on her own as she show more tries to figure out who she is without her twin/crutch. A marching drill class (Like ROTC for middle school as an alternative to PE; is this really a thing?) and a class election provide the prompting she needs to break out of her shell. Unlike Fangirl the story moves along quickly and wraps up in half the pages (or a quarter of the manga series).

I would like to see a sequel or something else from the same team. show less

Twins by Varian Johnson, illustrated by Shannon Wright, is a graphic novel that captures the emotional journey of identical twins Maureen and Francine Carter as they start sixth grade. Once they were inseparable, but now the twins begin to drift apart as outgoing and confident Francine, now "Fran," seeks new experiences and friends, leaving introverted and shy Maureen grappling with self-doubt and confusion.

Through Maureen's perspective, the book explores themes of identity and growing up, show more with realistic and relatable character portrayals. Wright's illustrations bring the story to life, capturing the essence of middle school dynamics and the twins' continually evolving relationship. show less