This sweet, nearly wordless tale is likely to find an appreciative audience among cat lovers and children just beginning to...
A stray cat finds a new home after hopping onto a passing bus.
A simply drawn calico cat stares out from the cover of Kim’s debut. After investigating the contents of an outdoor trash can, the cat ventures into an open doorway. A storekeeper shoos the cat back out, leaving it to sit disconsolately on the sidewalk. As snow begins to fall, a bus pulls up, but the bus driver is unwelcoming. Then a second bus arrives. Snuggled onto an empty seat, the cat is joined by an elderly Asian gentleman who carries it home to a young girl, probably his granddaughter. The text is extremely brief, only 15 words. Most are noises (the “clang” of the trash can, the “whoosh!” of the bus door), a few are simple phrases (“Scat, cat!”), and there’s one rumbling “Purrrrrrrrrr.” The artwork combines pastels and colored pencils with digital techniques. Double-page spreads, single pages, vignettes, and panels offer plenty to look at and convey the storyline clearly. Black outlines and somewhat blocky shapes give the art a childlike feel, while muted colors reinforce the wintry setting. Faces are occasionally awkwardly drawn, but residents of the city are ethnically and racially diverse, and the inclusion of a female African-American bus driver is particularly welcome.
This sweet, nearly wordless tale is likely to find an appreciative audience among cat lovers and children just beginning to sound words out on their own. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3647-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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 sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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