Publishers Weekly
10/02/2023
This movement-filled biography about Brazilian capoeira mestre Bimba (1899–1974) begins with his youth in Salvador, Brazil, where he’s taken with the combination of “music, fighting, theatrics, and dance.” Practiced by Black men who are, like Bimba, descendants of Africans enslaved by the Portuguese, capoeira is disdained by “predominantly white” authorities, who outlaw playing it in the streets, beating and incarcerating the capoeiristas they catch. To reduce stigma against capoeira, Bimba develops his own form, called regional, which he opens a school to teach in 1932. Through rigorous teaching and official competition, Bimba slowly raises the profile of regional until capoeira is not only decriminalized but also declared by Brazilian president Getúlio Vargas “the only truly national sport.” Tonatiuh’s signature-style illustrations employ fluid motion to simulate capoeira’s graceful acrobatics, while lengthy informative text conveys the history of Bimba and of the once-persecuted Afro-Brazilian cultural expression. An author’s note and glossary conclude. Ages 4–8. (Oct.)
The Horn Book Magazine
***STARRED REVIEW*** "A superb tribute to an individual and to capoeira."
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
"Tonatiuh returns with another exemplary picture book biography, this time intertwining the stories of Brazilian martial artist Mestre Bimba and the performance art of capoeira"
From the Publisher
****STARRED REVIEW**** "The author/illustrator’s trademark pre-Colombian-flavored artwork lends itself wonderfully to the subject matter, with exaggerated poses and razor-sharp linework conveying body movements. A superb portrait of Afro-Brazilian endurance."—Kirkus
***STARRED REVIEW*** "A superb tribute to an individual and to capoeira."—The Horn Book Magazine
***STARRED REVIEW*** "A great introduction to Capoeira and the persistence of Bimba to move this street performance into the mainstream. This masterpiece of illustration and narrative will appeal to readers across categories of martial arts, dance, and more."—School Library Journal
"Tonatiuh’s signature-style illustrations employ fluid motion to simulate capoeira’s graceful acrobatics, while lengthy informative text conveys the history of Bimba and of the once-persecuted Afro-Brazilian cultural expression."—Publishers Weekly
"Tonatiuh returns with another exemplary picture book biography, this time intertwining the stories of Brazilian martial artist Mestre Bimba and the performance art of capoeira"—Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books
School Library Journal
★ 10/01/2023
Gr 3–6—A fascinating account of the Afro-Brazilian art form of Capoeira, which combined music, fighting, theatrics, and dance. The street performers were mostly descendants of enslaved people brought to Brazil. Capoeira was illegal and shows were broken up by the police. Manuel dos Reis Machado, known as "Bimba," loved Capoeira and fought the disdain most Brazilians had for it. Patiently, Bimba took Capoeira from a street activity to a sport. After learning Capoeira, Bimba added new moves and called it regional, opening an academy to teach the style, setting rules, and creating standards for his students. Bimba challenged other Capoeira performers through newspaper stories and hosted tournaments in a park, selling tickets to them. Through these efforts, Capoeira was eventually recognized by government officials and its illegal status ended; Bimba achieved his goal of preserving and expanding Capoeira for the people of Brazil and the world. Highly stylized drawings, in earth tones, show the enslaved ancestors of the Capoeira performers in their shadows. The participants' poses show the acrobatic and martial arts aspect of Capoeira, and musicians playing instruments reinforce the importance of music in the shows. Back matter includes a glossary, extensive author's notes, end notes, and bibliography. VERDICT A great introduction to Capoeira and the persistence of Bimba to move this street performance into the mainstream. This masterpiece of illustration and narrative will appeal to readers across categories of martial arts, dance, and more.—Tamara Saarinen
MARCH 2024 - AudioFile
André Santana artfully re-creates Brazil in the 1920s as he introduces capoeira, a blend of martial arts, dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality. Listeners meet Salvador Bimba, who advocated for capoeira. Santana enthusiastically delivers lyrical descriptions accompanied by spirited background music, with Indigenous and Portuguese words adding atmosphere. Heartbreaking histories recall the lives--and deaths--of enslaved people who brought capoeira from Africa. Most moving is the revelation that Bimba performed for the president of Brazil in 1952. In 2014 UNESCO honored capoeira for promoting social integration and for representing the people's struggles against oppression. Audio is crucial for the outstanding glossary, which includes wonderful demonstrations of pronunciations and accounts of each word's history. S.G.B. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
★ 2023-07-13
The mighty history of capoeira—and one of the form’s central figures.
A cultural expression that blends fighting, music, dance, and theatrics, capoeira arose from the beliefs and customs of the African peoples who were forced into slavery by the Portuguese in Brazil. Tonatiuh details capoeira’s tumultuous rise, from its banning in Brazil in 1890, two years after the abolition of slavery, to “a celebrated art” across the early 20th century. Mestre Bimba (born Manoel dos Reis Machado in 1899) developed a new kind of capoeira called Luta Regional Baiana. Determined to change the form’s “bad reputation,” Bimba opened an academia and taught capoeira in a formalized manner, leading to public bouts that reinforced his notion of capoeira as an artistic expression of resistance. Thanks to Mestre Bimba’s struggles, as well as the endeavors of other capoeiristas and a slightly more tolerant Brazilian government, capoeira eventually was decriminalized in the 1950s, leading to greater participation, including among previously excluded segments of the population such as women. The author/illustrator’s trademark pre-Colombian-flavored artwork lends itself wonderfully to the subject matter, with exaggerated poses and razor-sharp linework conveying body movements. Several illustrations depict shadows of capoeiristas as silhouettes of enslaved people, emphasizing the form’s origins. A glossary and in-depth author’s note provide further illuminating context. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A superb portrait of Afro-Brazilian endurance. (endnotes, photos, bibliography) (Informational picture book. 5-10)
