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THE WALL AND THE WILD

Name: THE WALL AND THE WILD
Author: Christina Dendy
ISBN: 978-1-913747-43-5

by Christina Dendy ; illustrated by Katie Rewse ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 7, 2021

This meditation on biodiversity makes its point with grace.

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At the edge of Stone Hollow, Ana grows a garden.

Unlike the wild, which edges her little plot, Ana’s garden is tidy, neat, and orderly. She uses only the best seeds, tossing the discards into the wild. After planting, Ana builds a stone boundary designed to shelter her garden from the chaos beyond. Before long, her garden begins to grow, sprouting into gorgeous tall flowers and delicious fruits and vegetables. Pollinators and people come to visit. But while her visitors love the garden, Ana is still critical. She pulls out unfamiliar plants that have taken root and sorts through her seeds again, throwing everything she rejects into the wild. Then she builds her stone boundary even higher. Throughout the growing season, Ana perfects her garden and builds her wall ever higher. But the neater she makes her garden, the fewer visitors she sees—and the more she wonders whether tidiness and order ought to be her goals. Eventually, she decides to find out what’s behind the wall. Her discovery astounds her. In this sweet, simple story about appreciating wildness in all its forms, the protagonist is pictured as a dark-skinned, black-haired girl with hearing aids. The language is clear and easy to read, and the vibrant illustrations drive the story just as much as the words. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This meditation on biodiversity makes its point with grace. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-913747-43-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Lantana

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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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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I'LL LOVE YOU FOREVER

by Owen Hart ; illustrated by Sean Julian ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2017

Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...

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A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.

A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.

Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)