Gentle and comforting.
Young Rosie and the family dog exemplify interspecies, intergenerational friendship—with a touch of Zen.
“George is old and deaf in one ear, and he doesn’t run fast anymore.” These words set the stage for a tender tale with a whisper of a plot. George, a brown and white dog, snoozes comfortably in a patterned chair, surrounded by framed photographs of him as a puppy with the same three children who are peering at him through a nearby window. “But,” we’re told, “he still needs a walk. So, the family takes turns walking George.” Simple, colorful vignettes introduce Mother, Dad, and “the big kids.” Another image depicts the entire family walking on a sandy path toward the beach, with the youngest, Rosie, trailing behind and playing with her red ball. Each time an older family member tries to rush George, “He steps. And stops.” He slowly observes his surroundings, and he always “keeps an eye on Rosie.” When Rosie’s ball is swept out to sea, the family gathers around to comfort her. George sits and waits all day and all night until the tide returns the ball, so he can give it to Rosie. By story’s end, Rosie is old enough to walk George. Now the friends practice their art of appreciation together, treating readers to one last round of sweet repetition and an impressive, shimmering sunset. Family members have skin tones in varying shades of brown.
Gentle and comforting. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 21, 2024
ISBN: 9781542018555
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024
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A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Readers are likely to love it to the moon and back.
Little Nutbrown Hare ventures out into the wide world and comes back with a new companion in this sequel to Guess How Much I Love You (1994).
Big Nutbrown Hare is too busy, so after asking permission, Little Nutbrown Hare scampers off over the rolling meadow to play by himself. After discovering that neither his shadow nor his reflection make satisfactory playmates (“You’re only another me!”), Little Nutbrown comes to Cloudy Mountain…and meets “Someone real!” It’s a white bunny who introduces herself as Tipps. But a wonderful round of digging and building and chasing about reaches an unexpected end with a game of hide-and-seek, because both hares hide! After waiting a long time to be found, Little Nutbrown Hare hops on home in disappointment, wondering whether he’ll ever see Tipps again. As it turns out, it doesn’t take long to find out, since she has followed him. “Now, where on earth did she come from?” wonders Big Nutbrown. “Her name is Tipps,” Little Nutbrown proudly replies, “and she’s my friend.” Jeram’s spacious, pale-toned, naturalistic outdoor scenes create a properly idyllic setting for this cozy development in a tender child-caregiver relationship—which hasn’t lost a bit of its appealing intimacy in the more than 25 years since its first appearance. As in the first, Big Nutbrown Hare is ungendered, facilitating pleasingly flexible readings.
Readers are likely to love it to the moon and back. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1747-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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