Watching this protagonist’s reluctant change of heart won’t get old; neither will the beckoning scenes of the great outdoors.
A school-age kid is grumpy about going on a family camping trip but eventually comes to appreciate what the outdoors has to offer.
Standing on the street in a very cool town, with its artsy soap and pottery stands and street musician, our protagonist, arms folded, tells the other kids, “I have no idea why we have to ‘venture into the great outdoors’ this summer,” but off they go, leaving the city behind and driving straight into the mountains. “It’s not like there’s anything out here,” the narrator continues, as the landscape turns thick with wildlife. “There’s no electricity,” is the next complaint, as the protagonist sits glumly, ignoring the campfire. The narrator misses the “city lights” even as mom points up at the aurora borealis. The others seem oblivious to this disgruntlement as they frolic, take pictures, and explore. After they spot bears (from the safety of the car), the narrator comes around. “Well, I guess I could get by with songbirds instead of street performers.” Fishing, biking, and incredible views are none too shabby either. The mixed-media illustrations use short strokes and deep color to render the fullness of the land with a calm energy. The narrator has brown skin and straight, black hair, as do baby sib and mom; dad presents white.
Watching this protagonist’s reluctant change of heart won’t get old; neither will the beckoning scenes of the great outdoors. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: May 14, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6417-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book.
Ada Twist’s incessant stream of questions leads to answers that help solve a neighborhood crisis.
Ada conducts experiments at home to answer questions such as, why does Mom’s coffee smell stronger than Dad’s coffee? Each answer leads to another question, another hypothesis, and another experiment, which is how she goes from collecting data on backyard birds for a citizen-science project to helping Rosie Revere figure out how to get her uncle Ned down from the sky, where his helium-filled “perilous pants” are keeping him afloat. The Questioneers—Rosie the engineer, Iggy Peck the architect, and Ada the scientist—work together, asking questions like scientists. Armed with knowledge (of molecules and air pressure, force and temperature) but more importantly, with curiosity, Ada works out a solution. Ada is a recognizable, three-dimensional girl in this delightfully silly chapter book: tirelessly curious and determined yet easily excited and still learning to express herself. If science concepts aren’t completely clear in this romp, relationships and emotions certainly are. In playful full- and half-page illustrations that break up the text, Ada is black with Afro-textured hair; Rosie and Iggy are white. A closing section on citizen science may inspire readers to get involved in science too; on the other hand, the “Ode to a Gas!” may just puzzle them. Other backmatter topics include the importance of bird study and the threat palm-oil use poses to rainforests.
Adventure, humor, and smart, likable characters make for a winning chapter book. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: April 16, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3422-9
Page Count: 144
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape.
The fourth installment in Delacre’s early-reader series centers on the rich musical traditions of Puerto Rico, once again featuring sibling tree frogs Rafi and Rosi Coquí.
Readers learn along with Rafi and Rosi as they explore bomba, plena, and salsa in three chapters. A glossary at the beginning sets readers up well to understand the Spanish vocabulary, including accurate phoneticization for non-Spanish speakers. The stories focus on Rafi and Rosi’s relationship within a musical context. For example, in one chapter Rafi finds out that he attracts a larger audience playing his homemade güiro with Rosi’s help even though he initially excluded her: “Big brothers only.” Even when he makes mistakes, as the older brother, Rafi consoles Rosi when she is embarrassed or angry at him. In each instance, their shared joy for music and dance ultimately shines through any upsets—a valuable reflection of unity. Informational backmatter and author’s sources are extensive. Undoubtedly these will help teachers, librarians, and parents to develop Puerto Rican cultural programs, curriculum, or home activities to extend young readers’ learning. The inclusion of instructions to make one’s own homemade güiro is a thoughtful addition. The Spanish translation, also by Delacre and published simultaneously, will require a more advanced reader than the English one to recognize and comprehend contractions (“pa’bajo-pa-pa’rriba”) and relatively sophisticated vocabulary.
A welcome, well-researched reflection of cultural pride in the early-reader landscape. (Early reader. 7-9)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-89239-429-6
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Children's Book Press
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
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