Artful rhymes and radiant illustrations paint a loving picture in this charming work for young readers.
Motz presents a sweet tribute to love and family in this children’s picture book.
“Where do I come from?” is a common question that kids ask adults. This delightful work simplistically but sweetly answers, “I tell you, my child / that you come from love,” followed by 25 colorful pages detailing myriad ways that love can manifest. Whether it comes from “the universe,” “the stars,” and the “earth” or from “the song…sang at your birth,” love is shown to “lift you, again and again” and “carry you, now ’til the end.” Easy but powerful rhymes allude to dynamic themes of spirituality, ancestry, and family, allowing caretakers and their children to choose their own path regarding the subject. The book would work well as a quick bedtime story or an in-depth opportunity to explore the multiple ways to have a family and experience love. Illustrator Aspiras aids in emphasizing the beauty of diversity by using bold, striking colors to depict varied genders and cultures within a family. At the heart of most images are two small children in a picturesque world. Both adults and kids will be enchanted by the alluring, sweeping imagery on each page as they read that love is, in fact, all around.
Artful rhymes and radiant illustrations paint a loving picture in this charming work for young readers.Pub Date: April 4, 2023
ISBN: 9781662936234
Page Count: 31
Publisher: Gatekeeper Press
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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