A multicultural girl-power manifesto featuring a feisty young girl who faces her day as a knight on an epic quest.The unnamed narrator puts on her "armor" (a rainbow sweater) and fills her "treasure chest" (a backpack). Venturing forth to "explore new worlds," she drives back "dragons" (neighborhood dogs on their walk), boards the "many-headed serpent" (her school bus, with schoolmates' heads protruding from every window), and visits "the Mountain of Knowledge" (the school library) to "solve the mysteries of the unknown." After standing up for her beliefsby joining a classmate sitting alone in the cafeteriathe young girl returns home to rest in the lap of an older female relative, possibly a grandparent/primary caregiver, to prepare for the next day, when she can be "fierce again." Birdsong's repeated refrain"I will be fierce!"underlines the unambiguous message of this sassy picture book, and Chanani's bold and energetic illustrations reinforce the text's punchy, feminist-y declarations. They depict a joyously multiracial environment, consciously tackling stereotypes with an elderly, white, female bus driver and a groovy, Asian-presenting librarian with a green streak in her hair. The fierce protagonist herself has brown skin and fluffy, dark brown hair, and her caregiver also has brown skin. Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom. (Picture book. 4-7) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

K-Gr 2-A school-aged girl uses her imagination to feel confident as she goes about her day. She is determined to answer the call to adventure and to be fierce. She considers her schoolbag her treasure chest and her rainbow-striped shirt her armor. When she encounters someplace new, she imagines herself walking tall in a world of giants, dragons, and serpents. She is bold and brave whether she's in the library, in the cafeteria, or with her grandparents. The atmospheric illustrations add another dimension to the story. VERDICT A simple, empowering tale that encourages children to be the heroes of their own stories. An engaging choice for storytime or one-on-one sharing.-Tanya Boudreau, Cold Lake Public Library, Alta.

A girl wakes with a mission: "TODAY, I WILL BE FIERCE!" She proceeds to "put on my armor" (get dressed), "fill my treasure chest" (load her backpack), and go to school. This invigorating story's humor derives from the cartoon-style art, which interprets her feisty pronouncements: e.g., "I will charge the many-headed serpent" means facing the kids on the school bus. (c) Copyright 2021. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Eyes shining and fist raised, a girl wakes up ready to answer the call to adventure. In true heroic form, she dons her armor, fills her treasure chest, and bids farewell to her loved ones; however, the illustrations elucidate the text. The armor is actually a rainbow-striped jumper, and the treasure chest is her backpack. Being fierce means quelling monsters and walking with giants, but the monsters are dogs on the sidewalk, and the giants are taller schoolchildren. Readers will smile at the charming and clever interplay between the words and pictures, and even younger audiences will understand the subtext: Being fierce means being kind to others and finding joy. The bright, expressive illustrations are full of movement, giving purpose to the girl's adventure. At the end of the day, she returns home, tired and ready to rest in preparation for another day of being fierce! Can be paired with Beautiful (2016) and Brave (2017) by Stacy McAnulty.--Amina Chaudhri Copyright 2019 Booklist