A spot-on depiction of sisterly love.
Three girls help their baby sister get the clothing she covets.
In the opening scene, Mama tells her four daughters that they’ll go back-to-school shopping. Eldest sister Ava wants a princess dress, Isabelle wants a purple one, Charlie Ann has her heart set on a cowboy vest, and Poppy just says, “Polka Dots!” With the exception of Charlie Ann, who appears to be Asian, the family members seem to be white, and no other parent is mentioned or depicted. Were some or all of the girls adopted? Is Mama a single parent? We can’t be certain, but the casual depiction of a nontraditional family is notable. At the first stop, each of the sisters successfully finds just the right shoes for her ensemble, but, alas, there are no polka-dot shoes for Poppy. Three stores later, each sister has her desired outfit—except for Poppy, who isn’t seduced by Mama’s suggestion that “stripes can be very nice” and is left cold by her sisters’ encouragement. But when she falls asleep at night, the sisters are inspired to decorate white clothing with polka dots. Poppy is delighted the next morning, and Mama is surprised and only a little bit chagrined at the mess. Throughout, Schwartz’s signature cartoon style and cheery palette match the light mood of the text.
A spot-on depiction of sisterly love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3431-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: July 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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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 delightfully silly celebration of familial love.
A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.
In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1236-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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