Jojo'S Flying Side Kick [Hardcover]

Brian Pinkney (Author, Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 1995 | Age Level: 3 and up

Overcoming her fear of the night, JoJo gains confidence, strength, and self-reliance as she takes the test for her yellow belt promotion in tae kwon do class.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

JoJo, a Tae Kwon Do white belt student, must break a board with a flying side kick in order to earn her yellow belt. She adds her worry about the test to her ever-present fear of the tree that looms "like a creepy bandit" in her front yard, but confides her nervousness to Granddaddy, her friend P.J. and her mother. All three offer advice drawn from their own experiences ("Visualize your technique.... That's what I do before a tennis match," says Mom). JoJo utilizes their suggestions as well as her own resources: visualizing the board as the creepy tree, she leaps into the air and smashes it. Energetic scratchboard and oil illustrations swirl with movement in a vivid palette of deep blues, greens and white. Pinkney renders the tree as reasonably ominous; accordingly, the late addition of a spooky face and hands to illustrate JoJo's terror is somewhat over the top. As in Pinkney's Max Found Two Sticks, the action plays out within a compressed time span, concentrating the tension. While the prose is not as taut this time, the author/artist again gets effortlessly into the mind of his protagonist. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1995 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.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 3 and up
  
• Hardcover: 32 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing (September 1, 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0689802838
• ISBN-13: 978-0689802836
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,386,829 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good one - my older niece (5) really got into it., July 26, 2008

By 

Ulyyf "Connie" (NYC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JoJo's Flying Sidekick (Paperback)

I really like this.

Jojo is about to test for her yellow belt. She's also (coincidentally - the two aren't connected at all until the end) afraid of the tree in her yard.

She's nervous about her test, and so three different members of her family give her advice. But it doesn't all click until the day of her test, when she puts all their advice together in her own way, in a way that not only earns her her yellow belt but also helps her stop being scared of the scary tree bandit.

The moral is nicely understated instead of being pushed like people do tend to do with kids.

Also, let me take a minute to say how much I enjoyed the illustrations in this book. I felt they really suited the material.

Definitely check this one out.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Story of self-confidence, December 23, 2007

By 

Mom of 2 (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: JoJo's Flying Sidekick (Paperback)

My four-year-old (who's big brother has been practicing karate for a few years) loved this story about a girl overcoming her fear and lack of confidence, ultimately succeeding in her goals.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cute story...not so accurate, September 16, 2008

By 

Stacey Pule "S & B's Mommy" (St. Ignatius, MT USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: JoJo's Flying Sidekick (Paperback)

My almost yellow-belt tae kwon do daughter loved this book. The tree in JoJo's yard was really scary for her (she was 4 when we read it.), but she wanted to read it and see the tree over and over again. However, I don't remember seeing board breaking and flying side kicks in the her yellow belt study materials.