A supportive grandparent is a joy; a pushy grandma is not, and readers may not wish to spend much time with this one.
A grandmother dog supports her grandchild in many sports and school activities, pushing the pup to achieve greater results and future fame.
Nana is an old-fashioned grandmother dog with a curly, gray topknot, glasses, plaid skirts, and sensible shoes. However, her attitude as a pushy-parent stand-in embodies the worst modern-day aspects of poor sportsmanship and sideline second-guessing of coaches, umpires, and teachers. She inserts herself on the team bench at a swim meet in order to ensure her grandchild is first in line to compete, gives the football coach unsolicited tips on plays, and interrupts a band concert by dancing in the aisle. At a baseball game, Nana screams at the umpire that he needs to get his eyes checked. When Nana breaks her ankle after a fall, her grandchild helps her in many kind, loving ways, with a final page showing the pup on Nana’s lap as her biggest fan. Nana is presented in the first-person narration by the young dog as a competitive character who “always has to win,” even at card games with her devoted grandchild. There are no consequences for her poor behavior other than glaring looks from other parents, and Nana doesn’t change her ways even when she is reminded of the posted rules of good sportsmanship. Humorous, cartoon-style illustrations with a cast of dogs and cats add some exuberance with lots of motion and clever details.
A supportive grandparent is a joy; a pushy grandma is not, and readers may not wish to spend much time with this one. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9560-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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