The BCCB praises Matthew Burgess’ FIREWORKS in starred review: “Brimming with rich sensory details, Burgess’ poetic verses . . . celebrate the exuberant, magical moments of summertime”

STARRED REVIEW

FIREWORKS by Matthew Burgess; illus. by Cátia Chien. (Clarion, 2025) [44p]

On the Fourth of July, two siblings walk down the streets of New York City, eagerly awaiting the night’s big event. As they take in the sights and sounds of the city, they cool off under a burst of water from a fire hydrant and munch on mouthwatering watermelon wedges. When their busy day winds down, they climb a ladder to the rooftop and sit beneath the night sky, ready for a spectacular fireworks display to commence. Brimming with rich sensory details, Burgess’ poetic verses combine with Chien’s marvelous mixed-media artwork to celebrate the exuberant, magical moments of summertime. Thin layers of watercolor, along with saturated shades of pastels and colored pencils, capture the sweat-drenched pedestrians navigating the hazy, humid atmosphere of New York City’s Chinatown and Washington Square Park. Meanwhile, the captivating rhythm and alliteration infuse the spreads with energy, and as nighttime arrives the onomatopoeic words, complemented by meticulous scratchboard techniques, enhance the dynamic movement and energy of the fireworks. Multicolored floral illuminations bloom and scatter against the midnight blue and black that make up the sky, while sharp, angular shapes crackle and pop one by one. Stark, white spreads sprinkled with sparks and sounds evoke intense feelings of excitement and suspense as another round of fireworks booms and echoes behind dark silhouettes of the cityscape, eventually fizzling into wisps of textured charcoal smoke fading in the air. Although the siblings are tucked into bed afterward, their blissful summertime memories will linger with them and with viewers well after the final page. 

-DR