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INSIDE THIS BOOK

Name: INSIDE THIS BOOK
Author: Barney Saltzberg
ISBN: 978-1-4197-1487-0

(ARE THREE BOOKS).

by Barney Saltzberg ; illustrated by Barney Saltzberg ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 7, 2015

An absolutely nifty invitation to children to create and share their own wee books.

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Every child has a story inside...or two or three or more.

A little boy named Seymour has made a book. Its four sides are each about 2 inches smaller than the book readers hold, so it fits right inside. Seymour's mom had made him and his brother and sister books with blank pages, prompting the children to fill them up. Seymour records his feelings and observations and a story about a furry little monster, with a long striped nose that looks like a knitted stocking cap, who eats everything in sight. And following Seymour’s book is another, smaller one, written by his little sister, Fiona. She fancies herself an artist and a poet. About her dog, Fleabee, she writes: "A wagging tail / And a cold wet nose, / This is how / My morning goes." And after Fiona's supersmall book is one even smaller, by the family's youngest child, Wilbur. He can't read or write yet, so he draws the pictures—of himself, of a dinosaur, of his family—and tells Fiona what to write. "Books are better when they are shared," concludes the whole. Using simple, bold type and illustrations that look convincingly childlike and are developmentally keyed to each sibling, Saltzberg's clever conceit makes the metaphorical literal—and palpable—for very young readers.

An absolutely nifty invitation to children to create and share their own wee books. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: April 7, 2015

ISBN: 978-1-4197-1487-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Abrams Appleseed

Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2015

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2015

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
THE SMELL OF WET DOG
by Barney Saltzberg ; illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

- BOOK REVIEW
ARLO NEEDS GLASSES
by Barney Saltzberg ; illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

- BOOK REVIEW
A DELICIOUS STORY
by Barney Saltzberg ; illustrated by Barney Saltzberg

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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)