From Publishers Weekly
Writing about a boy trying to earn a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do, Pinkney (who holds a black belt in that art) "effortlessly gets into the mind of his protagonist," said PW. "Energetic scratchboard illustrations swirl with movement." Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
PreSchool-Grade 2?In order for JoJo to advance from a white to a yellow belt in Tae Kwon Do, she must break a board with a flying side kick. Little wonder she worries! Everyone offers support and advice. Granddaddy recommends that she do a little fancy footwork "to chase away the jitters," the way he did before his boxing matches. Her friend advises her that, when she yells "KIAH," she should make it come from deep in her stomach for greater power. Her mother advocates a winning visualization technique. When the big test comes, JoJo does all three. She dances a bit on her feet, shouts from deep inside, and visualizes a "creepy" tree in her own yard that has always frightened her. She successfully calls upon her own inner resources to overcome more than one fear and earns the coveted yellow belt. Pinkney's art lifts this story above the narrow realm of self-help bibliotherapy. His illustrations, executed in scratchboard and oil, excel at the depiction of movement?whether it is the movement of a scary tree (archetype for any number of childhood fears) or the movement of a flying side kick. Children will be fascinated by the sport, by the refreshing female protagonist, and by the thrill of her accomplishment. An author's note gives more information about Tae Kwon Do. This will not be a shelf-sitter.?Kate McClelland, Perrot Memorial Library, Greenwich, CT
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
