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LULU'S MAGIC WAND

Ultimately, the book succeeds in exhausting readers, but whether from adventure or from terror rests with the beholder....

When a consolation prize at an amusement park lands in the hands of little Lulu, her imagination—along with everything in sight—goes wild.

This book is a visual thrill ride, all vivid colors, lively movement and comic imagery. At an amusement-park booth called the Wizardly World of Wonder, toddler Lulu ends up with a magic wand when her dad fails to win her desired prize, Priscilla, the Fairy Piglet. By the time the wizard realizes his real wand is missing, Lulu has created a balloon tornado, launched the merry-go-round creatures into the air and woken the Screamin’ Dragon roller coaster. When the Octo-Beast begins to shoot laser beams out of its eyes, Lulu’s toddler antics seem more sinister than silly. Richards, author of  Jungle Gym Jitters (2004), expertly juggles the over-the-top madness, repeating images and swirls in the rounded balloon figures, the octopus legs, the roller-coaster track and popped-open eyes. The concern lies with the text. It seems to be simply an interpretation of the images, with little to connect the described mayhem with Lulu’s magic wishes. Does her active imagination simply in vision or actually result in her loved ones being eaten by dinosaurs and giant monkeys? Stronger narrative could have launched the visuals even farther.

Ultimately, the book succeeds in exhausting readers, but whether from adventure or from terror rests with the beholder. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 24, 2012

ISBN: 978-0-8027-2248-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Walker

Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

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

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SNOW PLACE LIKE HOME

From the Diary of an Ice Princess series

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

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