★ 10/03/2022
From ollies to hippie jumps, Cielo lives and breathes skateboarding: “She had a steezy push and a good pop, and sometimes it looked like she was flying.” But when an attempt to drop into a deep pool dubbed the Whale results in an unexpectedly intense fall, her shaken confidence sees her casting the sport aside—until two new friends encourage renewed effort. In oil crayon, oil paint, gouache, and colored pencil, Katstaller’s art captures the scale of the Whale; looking down from the edge, Cielo casts a nearly page-filling shadow. While the pale gray of concrete predominates, coral and maroon highlight the intensity of Cielo’s frustration as she tries again and again until, buoyed by her friends, her tumbles become just part of the learning process. Her bumpy path to skating prowess lends this hip story a moving authenticity. Back matter includes a glossary and an author’s note. Ages 4–8. (Aug.)
* "An overall charmer, Katstaller’s ode to the etherealness and camaraderie of skateboarding pops and snaps from page to page." —Kirkus, starred review
* "Katstaller’s “steezy” (skater-speak for stylish, according to the glossary) mixed-media illustrations are both child-friendly and sophisticated, conveying emotion and intensity via color, shape, and dynamic shifts in perspective." —Horn Book, starred review
"The expressive art of Skater Cielo flies off the pages in this celebration of courage and community, and Rachel Katstaller's energetic prose nails the fears, tears and pure joy of the sport. Whether you're a skater or not, you'll cheer Cielo on again, and again, and again." — NPR, Best Book of 2022
07/01/2022
K-Gr 2—Readers will connect quickly to this story about Cielo, a girl who lives for flying around her town and local skate park on her skateboard. When a new, deep pool opens, Cielo tries to skate through it, only to fall again and again doing all her usual tricks. Frustration overwhelms her, until two new friends encourage her to keep trying despite her tumbles. Smart illustrative choices, such as shadows and empty space for height contrasts, depict how the challenge of the pool's depth looms in Cielo's mind, while jagged shapes along with red and blue color schemes convey her emotions. Her passion for skateboarding proves easy to read through her open expressions and through Katstaller's sequences of full-body forms depicting Cielo in motion. An author's note and brief glossary round out the book. VERDICT With an underserved topic for the sports shelves, this will be welcomed by elementary readers, especially those who are trying out new hobbies and who will need its message of perseverance.—Rachel Mulligan
★ 2022-05-25
Following a brutal tumble, a rad little skater rediscovers the courage to pick up the board again with the help of her friends.
Cielo loves to skate all over town, devoting her time to zipping around with “a steezy push and a good pop.” Conquering sidewalks via ollies and breezing down streets in fast downhill rides, the fearless brown-skinned girl zips across town, her own playground. When a new skate park with deep pools opens, Cielo finds a new obstacle to overcome: The Whale, aka the biggest, highest pool at the park. The fateful day arrives, and Cielo hangs over the rim, ready to skate down The Whale. Bam! Instead, she stumbles, falling flat. Shaken and frustrated, Cielo gives up the board altogether. Until one day, a couple of fellow skaters call to her from the skate park. Encouraged by her newfound friends, Mia and Miro (both of whom have lighter skin), Cielo reattempts The Whale. Will Cielo fly again? An overall charmer, Katstaller’s ode to the etherealness and camaraderie of skateboarding pops and snaps from page to page. Colorful, sparse art with bold colors and unusual angles commits to an exceptional depiction of Cielo’s flights and tumbles. Above all, the emphasis on community offers a rousing image of skateboarding, accentuated by an author’s note and a glossary that clarifies terms and lingo for newcomers. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Like a steezy gem. (Picture book. 4-8)
