A capable, strong role model takes charge in this entertaining, worthy read.
Disney’s Princess Tiana sets out to make the perfect cake for a royal Mardi Gras visit.
Tiana leaps from the film The Princess and the Frog (2009) to the page in this book written by the Tony Award–winning voice of Tiana, Rose. When her husband Naveen’s parents, the queen and king of Maldonia, announce that they will be arriving for Mardi Gras, Tiana begins planning a special treat for her royal guests. She secures a treasured recipe for king cake and begins searching the bayou for a “dollop of magic glow” to enhance her planned “king and queen cake.” Even though the final product is imperfect, Tiana realizes that the real magic is her love and effort. The story includes a peppering of French words and phrases, thoughtfully explained to readers: fêted, je ne sais quoi, and even simply voilà. Rose’s Tiana is capable and determined, leaving Naveen behind to prepare the house while she ventures out for her special ingredient. Even her accompanying manservant, Raha, bumbles in comparison with her confident proficiency. The illustrations are a match for Disney’s, and Raha’s missteps—seen mostly in the artwork—will make readers giggle. Besides showing Tiana as a quick, skillful problem solver, the story also has a sweet message of the value in doing your best and doing it with love. Tiana is Black; most characters are pictured with brown skin.
A capable, strong role model takes charge in this entertaining, worthy read. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2024
ISBN: 9781368081603
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses.
An elusive new quarry leads the How To Catch… kids on a merry chase through a natural history museum.
Taking at least a step away from the “hunters versus prey” vibe of previous entries in the popular series, the racially diverse group of young visitors dashes through various museum halls in pursuit of the eponymous dino—whose quest to “spread kindness and joy ’round the world” takes the form of a mildly tumultuous museum tour. In most of Elkerton’s overly sweet, color-saturated scenes, only portions of the Loveosaurus, who is purple and covered with pink hearts, are visible behind exhibits or lumbering off the page. But the children find small enticements left behind, from craft supplies to make cards for endangered species to pictures of smiley faces, candy heart–style personal notes (“You Rock!” “Give Hugs”), and, in the hall of medieval arms and armor, a sign urging them to “Be Honest Be Kind.” The somewhat heavy-handed lesson comes through loud and clear. “There’s a message, he wants us to think,” hints Walstead to clue in more obtuse readers…and concluding scenes of smiling people young and otherwise exchanging hugs and knuckle bumps, holding doors for a wheelchair rider, and dancing through clouds of sparkles indicate that they, at least, have gotten it. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sugary uplift, shrink-wrapped for the masses. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 9781728268781
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 17, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A visually engaging but otherwise underwhelming take on a classic.
A retelling of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, set in the Alaskan tundra.
Prolific picture-book author and illustrator Brett depicts Alice with short black hair, tan skin, and a fur-lined parka, while Lewis Carroll’s well-known characters are recast in new guises: The Cheshire Cat and Queen of Hearts appear as a Smilodon (saber-toothed cat) and snowy owl, respectively. Progressing at a rapid-fire pace, the narrative follows key moments of the original plot, including Alice’s fall down the rabbit hole (located within a glacier here), her tea party with the Hatter and the March Hare (this time, with the Old Prospector and the Varying Hare), and a scene where several playing cards paint the roses red (instead, the cotton grass) at the Queen’s behest. Characteristic of Brett’s illustrative style, each spread is packed with detail. Observant readers will find much to explore, from the well-worn playing cards that line each page to the intricate Alaskan birds and mammals featured at every turn. Still, the hectic rhythm of the story might lose youngsters, and its ho-hum text flattens some of Carroll’s whimsy. Adults may be disappointed that Brett has chosen to highlight only the area’s animals and colonial history (the Prospector hearkens back to Alaska’s history of colonial encroachment), with no explicit mention of the land’s rich Indigenous nations and cultures.
A visually engaging but otherwise underwhelming take on a classic. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Nov. 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780593533888
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
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