Review by Booklist Review
Boogie Boogie, Y'all is a story about a brown-skinned girl and her love for the graffiti art in her urban neighborhood. Although everyone else complains about the graffiti, all the little girl can see is its beauty. As she travels on the subway and plays in the park, she finds more art, and rhythmic, repetitive text playfully describes her discoveries. Esperanza echoes graffiti style in his illustrations, using enlarged letters and bright colors to bring the pages to life. The joyful, vibrant scenes include elements and people commonly seen in urban neighborhoods, such as the helado man selling ice cream, bodegas, and street performers showcasing their art for subway riders. Finally, a block party is featured that provides a glimpse into hip-hop culture, as well as being the site where the graffiti magically comes to life and boogies off the wall, creating an open canvas for the girl and her spray paint. This ode to graffiti art offers a fresh take on its role in the beautification of the urban landscape.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Esperanza establishes a groovy rhythm in this celebration of art and music, set in the Bronx. Snappy rhymes flow with repetition, introducing two children who notice the beauty of public art--dance, graffiti, and music--when no one else does. In a speculative turn, "BOOM, ALAKAZOOM!/ The art BOOGIED off the wall!" commanding the notice of the neighborhood, including the two children--who know just what to do to meld art and community. Esperanza infuses recognizable cultural sights and sounds--at a "Boogie Down Block Party," replete with a DJ, " 'COCO, MANGO, CHERRY!'/ yelled the man with icy treats,/ while the break crew BOOGIED/ to a BombaYo beat!" Almost tangibly layered oils, acrylics, and digital art feature near-realistic stylizations of Black and brown individuals; adult readers will appreciate nods to Keith Haring and Basquiat, while readers of all ages will enjoy the richly detailed cityscapes. A lovingly rendered, upbeat recognition of contemporary art forms, and a salient reminder to revel in art, culture, and community. Ages 4--8. (Aug.)
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 2--Art is everywhere in the city: sprayed on walls, on trains, and in the park, but everybody is too busy to appreciate it. Two Black kids and a dog do their best to call attention to how "mad fun" the art makes the neighborhood. When the kids add their own spray art, the block finally begins to boogie and to merge with the art themselves. Neon colored pictures, created with oils, acrylic, and Photoshop, explode off the pages with dramatic perspectives. They are edge-to-edge rich with the details of city life, from a mariachi band on the subway to skateboarders, food trucks, breakdancers, a block party, and graffiti galore. People have photo-realistic faces, their bodies traced with a thick, black line that helps set them apart from the urban landscape. The exuberance is mirrored in a rhyming text that mostly bops along and is chock-full of exclamations and onomatopoeia. It will be up to readers to interpret what is happening on the closing spreads where the children appear to be painting on glass, and art comes off the wall to envelop the people. VERDICT Purchase anywhere--everywhere!--an appreciative take on the vibe and culture of urban life is needed.--Jan Aldrich Solow, formerly Fairfax County P. S., VA
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
Children notice art around the city that others are too busy to pay attention to. "BOOGIE BOOGIE, Y'ALL. / The city BOOGIED all day / Busy, busy, busy, / till one kid stopped to say... // 'WOAH, WOAH, WOAH! / Look at the ART on the WALL!' " Much of the charm of this tale lies in the rhythm of the text, showcased in these opening lines that repeat, with variations, throughout the book. Esperanza's bright and colorful graffiti-style illustrations capture the excitement of a child enraptured by the street art on the side of a building. It's a child of color with an infectious, gap-toothed grin. Though the refrain shifts, the focus remains on the children (and one dog!), who have a different perspective than the adults around them, appreciating the art (visual, musical, and dance) that is seemingly mundane to others. Some of the transitions between spreads aren't entirely clear, which may cause some readers to backtrack to follow the thread. Similarly, an unexpected and unexplained moment of fantasy near the end adds excitement but may trip up some readers. These foibles don't spoil the whole, however, as it's all about the joy. How refreshing to read a picture book that centers the experience of the many children growing up in diverse cityscapes and acknowledges the unique beauty of cities and the many forms urban art can take. (This book was reviewed digitally.) A book boogie. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
