Billie Jean Peet, athlete

PreS-Gr 3--Beaty is back with another precocious child who has an interest that rhymes with her name. What makes Billie Jean Peet different is that--despite her namesake being one of the greatest female tennis players of all time--she likes to play basketball and is horrible at it. Suffering from middle-child blues, Billie Jean feels she is not good at anything. But that doesn't stop her from trying. By the end of the book she hasn't become a basketball star or found another hidden talent, she is celebrated for her useless skill of squeaking her shoes on the floor. This type of realistic struggle and lack of a picture-perfect resolution feels unique and in a sea of books that have artificially inspirational conclusions. Beaty's wordcraft is impeccable as always, and Roberts's pen-and-ink art remains a master class in illustration. There are cameos from Ada Twist and other iconic characters. Characters have different skin tones, hairstyles, and body types A fun read-aloud with jokes for grown-ups to enjoy, too. For instance, Billie Jean has parody music posters in her bedroom, like Bananadrama and Kismet's Kid--a riff on Destiny's Child. Back matter includes information about Title IX and girls having equal access to sports. VERDICT Billie Jean is a worthy classmate of Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, and others.

The seventh title in the Questioneers picture-book series finds a second grader bouncing back following epic embarrassment on the basketball court. Billie Jean is the tuneless middle child in a musical family. She's shown some talent for basketball, but she wins no hometown fans at the Shindig of Cheeses and Sports: After she takes a shot, "she jumps up and down, and her heart fills with pride… / which melts to aHORRIBLE feeling inside… / because she just scored… / for the opposite side." Later, the pale-skinned Billie Jean's on-court shoelace mishap leads to a eureka moment, an attitude adjustment, and a newfound confidence that helps her make a last-second shot: "By mixing two things to make something brand new, / she foundher own song in whatshe loved to do." As in the other Questioneers picture books, the "be yourself" message goes down easy, embedded in a propulsive story and powered by zippy rhymes. As for the art, Roberts delivers his customary fastidious lines and sublimely detailed work: The faces of even the story's bystanders, who are depicted in a wide range of skin tones, brim with personality, further enhanced by bespoke hairstyles. Beaty's author's note confirms what older readers may have already surmised: Billie Jean is named for another impressive athlete--tennis great King. This dare-to-be-different story is another win from the Questioneers team.(Picture book. 5-8) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.