LOULA AND THE SISTER RECIPE

Name: LOULA AND THE SISTER RECIPE
Author: Anne Villeneuve
ISBN: 978-1-77138-113-0

by Anne Villeneuve ; illustrated by Anne Villeneuve ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2014

Children yearning for a reversal of authority, or at least for an adult to go along with their brand of make-believe, will...

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Annoyed by her triplet brothers, Loula begs her parents for a little sister and learns that making a baby is like making a cake—you need just the right ingredients.

A coy list follows: One needs a full moon, chocolate, butterflies, a candlelit supper, kisses and hugs. Such saccharine winking occurs above the heads of little listeners, who might squint befuddled for just a moment, but, quick as lightning, Loula dashes off with her gallant and ever accommodating chauffeur, Gilbert, to gather up the necessary items. Loose watercolor-and–pen-and-ink illustrations sit softly within clouds of white space, their washes of color and lines assured while uninhibited, befitting this delightful story in which a child’s flights of fancy and fantasy drift along happily unchecked. Gilbert, a long, lean string bean of a man, often bows toward little Loula, listening intently and deferentially following her (misguided) instructions. The pair’s moonlit dinner seems a bust, until a hungry hound turns up to both gobble up the meal and serve as the sister Loula’s always wanted—even though he’s a mister.

Children yearning for a reversal of authority, or at least for an adult to go along with their brand of make-believe, will nod approvingly and smile often at Loula’s confounding cookery. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-77138-113-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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DEAR MR. PRESIDENT
by Sophie Siers ; illustrated by Anne Villeneuve

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ME, TOMA AND THE CONCRETE GARDEN
by Andrew Larsen ; illustrated by Anne Villeneuve

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LOULA AND MISTER THE MONSTER
by Anne Villeneuve ; illustrated by Anne Villeneuve

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

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ONE FAMILY

by George Shannon ; illustrated by Blanca Gómez ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 26, 2015

A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts.

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A playful counting book also acts as a celebration of family and human diversity.

Shannon’s text is delivered in spare, rhythmic, lilting verse that begins with one and counts up to 10 as it presents different groupings of things and people in individual families, always emphasizing the unitary nature of each combination. “One is six. One line of laundry. One butterfly’s legs. One family.” Gomez’s richly colored pictures clarify and expand on all that the text lists: For “six,” a picture showing six members of a multigenerational family of color includes a line of laundry with six items hanging from it outside of their windows, as well as the painting of a six-legged butterfly that a child in the family is creating. While text never directs the art to depict diverse individuals and family constellations, Gomez does just this in her illustrations. Interracial families are included, as are depictions of men with their arms around each other, and a Sikh man wearing a turban. This inclusive spirit supports the text’s culminating assertion that “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.”

A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts. (Picture book. 3-6)