Based on the cover, I did not have high hopes for All Eyes on Ozzy! by K-Fai Steele. My, “Hey you kid! Get off my lawn!” old lady brain did not think Steele’s illustrations were instilling too much confidence in my liking the book. And while it was not wrong in the fact that this is not my favorite book; I did end up thinking it was a solid book that kids can relate to and enjoy. And in the end, that is pretty important.
Ozzy is a gal who loves attention. And she really wants some from her favorite music teacher. The day they get to choose instruments to play in the concert, she knows the loudest, best one is the drums. You cannot get much more attention than that! However, Ozzy cannot rock out. She must keep the beat. Fit in so others can stand out. Can she do it?
Of course, you know that the drumbeat, that steady boom is just what the teacher ordered, and Ozzy will stand out by helping others. This lesson is a good opportunity to let kids know that yes, you can have your drum solos sometimes, but group time is a good time too.
I still am not a fan of the illustrations, but that is a minor point when the story is strong. And Ozzy is a strong gal in a strong book. The cartoon images are sweet, goofy, and basically what the mind of a child probably looks like. Colorful and chaotic. Maybe not geared toward young children, but all can find something to enjoy.
