A great storytime find.
The grandfather and grandchild introduced in Usher’s Free (2021) enjoy a summer day at the beach.
When we last saw this duo, in Lost (2022), the two went sledding on a winter’s day. Now the weather is warmer, and it’s time to head to the seaside. Narrated by the child, the tale brims with excitement, reinforced by beach-related toys, gear, books, and drawings scattered across the title page and first spread. While the story generally hews to the realistic, things eventually turn a bit fantastic, due in large part to the fanciful ink-and-watercolor illustrations. When the grandfather and grandchild build sand castles, a page turn reveals an elaborate grouping of structures in various architectural styles, some towering over Granddad. Later, this imaginative impulse is echoed when they rescue a seal pup caught in some netting and take a perilous sea journey to return it to its family. “And at last we went for our swim,” reads a subsequent understated line accompanying a full-bleed scene of Granddad and his grandchild placidly swimming deep underwater, the former still bespectacled and both fully clothed, though shod in socks and flip-flops, respectively. Gently humorous and wonderfully warm, this tale revels in its depiction of a fun and affectionate intergenerational bond. Granddad and the child present white.
A great storytime find. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 28, 2024
ISBN: 9781536234947
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2024
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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