A whimsical children’s book full of fascinating forgotten history.
Three children take a magical journey to the past, marveling at forgotten discoveries and appreciating new cultures along the way in Costagliola’s chapter book.
The author sets her story in Vero Beach, Florida, rendered in picturesque detail. Seven-year-old twins Alex and Ella spend their days at a colorful and quaint retirement home called Discovery Casa, where their mother works as a nurse. One day, the twins meet Layla, an inquisitive 6-year-old visiting her Abuelita. As children do, they become fast friends, excitedly bonding over their dreams of adventure and discovery. As the children and Abuelita discuss culture and heritage (“This is the dress I made for the Pollera Conga, a Panamanian festival that celebrates our African heritage”)—consistent themes throughout the book—Abuelita mentions a mysterious new resident named Art, and the intrigued children set out to find him. They stumble across an open door to a space covered with paintings, the most interesting of which depicts a woman on a beach surrounded by dinosaurs. Just as they begin to ponder why a woman would be among the prehistoric beasts, the painting begins to swirl, creating a vortex that transports the kids right out of Discovery Casa and onto that very beach in 1830. Here, they are guided by Emet, a comical talking paintbrush, who introduces them to their very first piece of forgotten history: Mary Anning, a pioneering paleontologist and the woman in the painting with the dinosaurs. The kids spend the rest of this quick, delightful read digging for fossils, learning cool history, and making a new friend. With evenly paced, polished prose, Costagliola crafts the perfect start to a series of books for young readers. The characters are charming and center the whimsical world of time travel, talking paintbrushes, and magical art in relatable reality. Most importantly, the powerful themes of culture, history, and justice ensure that this book will stick with both kids and adults.
A whimsical children’s book full of fascinating forgotten history.Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2023
ISBN: 9781956906455
Page Count: 81
Publisher: wee b. books
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
Warm but underdone.
In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.
Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781250776990
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
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