Abstract
Reviewed by: Keep Climbing, Girls April Spisak Richards, Beah E. Keep Climbing, Girls; illus. by Simon, 2006 [32p] ISBN 1-4169-0264-3$15.95 Reviewed from galleys Ad 5-8 yrs Repackaged for a new audience with art by prominent illustrator Christie, African-American actress Beah Richards' poem from 1951 involves a daring young girl, her concerned guardian, Miss Nettie, and a tree that the girl knows must be climbed, whatever the consequences. Miss Nettie's threats and demands only spur on the brave heroine, who simply climbs higher and revels in her bigger-than-life moments in the sky. The illustrations expand the point by highlighting the simple thrill of conquering a challenge, spending time alone, and appreciating the view. The rich tans and browns and lush greens of Christie's gouache paintings are applied with heavy brushstrokes; blocks of color create a background of rural landscape while the dramatically posed figures and strong vertical of the tree dominate the foreground. There's a heavy dose of message in the poem, and the defensiveness of its championing of female athleticism gives the text a dated feel. There's appeal in the poem's casual musicality, however, with polysyllabic rhyme playfully laced throughout, and the encouragement of striving and achieving is always welcome. As a readaloud or read-alone, this is a free-spirited poem about a plucky heroine who chooses independence instead of compliance, and it could find a responsive audience among similarly independent-minded girls. Copyright © 2006 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois
Published Version
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