Kirkus
Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Gordon, a teen artist and activist who in 2020 went viral for his painting of then–Vice President–elect Kamala Harris, draws from his own experiences for this story of a child who uses art to express himself. Tyler’s words always get “STUCK.” “Long words. Short words. Silly words. All words.” In his head, Tyler can speak “loudly” and “proudly,” tell knock-knock jokes, and “even reveal the real reason why that chicken crossed the road.” Yet in reality, “his tongue [gets] tied, and his words just [won’t] come out right,” a predicament vividly expressed via tangled scrawls and a spread depicting Tyler with a long, loop-laced tongue. Still, Tyler won’t give up. His mother encourages him, and together they paint and practice saying “short words, long words, silly words” to describe their work. But at school, his stutter makes it hard for Tyler to find friends; kids stare and laugh when he stammers during show and tell. Again, his mother reassures him. Her ability to understand his paintings, even when they’re imperfect, gives Tyler an idea. At the next show and tell, Tyler proudly unveils his self-portrait…and his audience goes “WILD!” Rhythmic, rhyming, and repeated phrases give the text strong read-aloud appeal; Gordon’s animated, endearing cartoon illustrations readily convey Tyler’s apprehension, determination, and joy. An author’s note explains that Gordon was born deaf and acquired a stutter after undergoing surgery to improve his hearing. Tyler and his mom are Black; his classmates are diverse. Energetic and encouraging. (Picture book. 4-8) Copyright © Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.