Review by Booklist Review
Young readers will be captivated by this charming tall tale about a rambunctious and imaginative heroine right from its opening sentence: "Small-Girl Zora demolished baby dolls and smashed tiny tea sets to smithereens." Thus begins a story loosely based on the life and writings of author Zora Neale Hurston. Small-Girl Zora knows that the outlandish stories she loves to prattle on about are going to change the world. She's certain that once people hear them, they'll be overcome with emotion, shedding enough tears to end the terrible drought destroying her mama's garden. Despite little encouragement (and a couple catastrophes), she keeps trying until she finally finds her audience, coincidentally, just as the rains begin. The narrative features wonderfully lyrical language and spins out Small-Girl Zora's tales in whimsical detail; the vibrant illustrations aptly capture all the energy and never-ending optimism. A lengthy author's note about Hurston provides additional biographical details and identifies literary references. Kids won't care; they'll just want to hear the story again (and this does make a lovely read-aloud). Be sure to pair this with the author's tribute to Toni Morrison, Small-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold (2023).
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 2--6--Not nonfiction but a tall tale, this book tackles the past with wry humor through the character of Zora, a delightful terror in the vein of Eloise or Olivia, but with a softer center. Based on the childhood of Zora Neale Hurston, this Zora is also a storyteller, her joy bubbling through plots that showcase a wild imagination with a strong moral center. Through a mix of equally vital narrative text and speech bubbles, readers see Zora hatch a plan to solve the town's drought by literally providing growth through her stories. She gathers the tears of joy and sorrow spurred by her tales, using them to help gardens grow and reach the sun itself. Readers witness her frustration at the practical, small-minded townfolk who don't appreciate the immense value of her yarns. The real delight is seeing the multilayered lives of those folks, from the farmers to business owners to those lounging in mansions, all mirroring the richness of Eatonville's history. It's a delight seeing Black history that doesn't focus on oppression; instead, it's about the power of imagination and the worth of the written word. In the end, Zora's scheme doesn't work quite how she thought. But the value of her creativity still gets acknowledged and admired. VERDICT An immensely engrossing historical story, perfect for introducing elementary readers to past visionaries and locations.--Cat McCarrey
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
"My stories are gonna change the world," young Zora Neale Hurston declares--and they do! Small-Girl Zora seems to invite trouble, climbing trees and sneaking out to play tag with the moon. She also tells wild stories, dismissed by some ("All a girl needs to know is how to change the sheets"), but to her Granny, they're woven magic. That summer, the town is plagued by drought, and Small-Girl Zora is determined to fill Mama's old watering can with "tears of JOY and LAUGHTER" that she's convinced her tall tales can elicit. Whether visiting Mr. Starks' general store to boast about hens that lay eggs by the dozen or stopping by Mr. Tea Cake and Miss Janie's sugar cane fields, where her tales "spill out higgledy-piggledy," Small-Girl tenaciously showers willing (and not-so-willing) listeners with endless stories, inviting the rain that finally arrives. Anatol's author's note is an enlightening delight, revealing parallels with the life and literature of the real Zora that she cleverly wove into this fictional account of the writer's childhood. Figueroa, who illustrated Anatol'sSmall-Girl Toni and the Quest for Gold (2023), enlivens Small-Girl Zora's enthusiasm in full color, effusive with details on every page. Mr. Starks' store interior is particularly memorable, with signs for S & H Green Stamps and Buster Brown Bread. All characters are brown-skinned, reflecting the actual Zora's historically all-Black community of Eatonville, Florida. A dynamically imagined, girl power--infused re-creation of an acclaimed author's childhood.(Picture book. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
