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MAPLE AND ROSEMARY

Name: MAPLE AND ROSEMARY
Author: Alison James
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4967-5

by Alison James ; illustrated by Jennifer K. Mann ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 28, 2023

Quiet and quirky.

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A lonely maple tree learns about friendship when she meets a girl named Rosemary.

The text uses a traditional storytelling style, opening with “Once there was a tree”—the same opening words as Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree (1964)—and concluding with a happy-ever-after ending. In between lies a simple tale that follows the maple’s thoughts and emotions, from the appearance of tan-skinned Rosemary as a friend to Rosemary’s sudden disappearance to a reconnection some years later and on into Rosemary’s elder years. The text varies in tone, by turns whimsical, didactic, and even dramatic—although still humorous—when the tree misses Rosemary: “Maple wanted the winter to cover her with snow and never ever melt.” Although the text gives Maple and her neighboring trees personalities, thoughts, and emotions, the mixed-media art offers no hint of that—hooray, no eyeball-rolling cedars! In fact, the art renders the tree’s physical transitions over seasons and years with detailed realism and vibrant color while also supporting Maple—not Rosemary—as the protagonist, making the tree more three-dimensional than animals and humans. The art’s progression of seasons makes it seem as if Rosemary suddenly leaves Maple before their first winter together, but it’s unclear why—as well as why Rosemary stays away for years. Otherwise, art, text, and layout successfully convey a sweet story of friendship that will comfort lonely or anxious children. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Quiet and quirky. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-8234-4967-5

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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HELLO THERE, SUNSHINE

by Tabitha Brown ; illustrated by Olivia Duchess ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 11, 2025

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale.

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Actor, social media star, and entrepreneur Brown pens a joyful paean to positive thinking in her children’s debut.

Brown-skinned Tab rides a strawberry-themed bike, accompanied by a curly-haired black dog, Grady. Tab’s dazzling smile and wide eyes signal the upbeat theme echoed in the text, celebrating the sun’s warmth, which “fills everyone up with joy.” But Tab’s mood shifts, as it’s a “cloudy and gray” June day. Alert readers will spot the dog’s smiling countenance and note glimpses of sunny yellow butterflies and flowers. Mama’s reassurance that there’s “always a chance” for sunshine also underscores the optimism. Tab and Grady bike through suburban streets “to find the sun.” Along the way, the two stop to assist a neighbor building a birdhouse, loft a kite for friends Frankie and Fonte, and lend a hand to others, all while still having fun. Mama steers Tab toward an eventual understanding of the real source of joy: Though the sun didn’t appear, “I brightened everyone’s day!” The illustrations subtly underscore the message of this radiant story as touches of gold lighten the palette, which ends with sunny brilliance. Most characters read Black, though Tab’s community includes people who vary in skin tone, body type, and ability.

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 11, 2025

ISBN: 9780063342262

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: March 21, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)