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POP'S PERFECT PRESENT

Name: POP'S PERFECT PRESENT
Author: Corey Finkle
ISBN: 9781250819444

by Corey Finkle ; illustrated by Lenny Wen ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 9, 2023

A much-needed reminder to embrace the imperfections.

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A rhyming recounting of a child’s efforts to coordinate a day of fun with her dad.

A light-skinned young girl introduces her brown-skinned dad as “the best,” adding that “when somebody meets him, they’re always impressed.” An image of Pop balancing a cellphone between ear and shoulder while shopping bags topple to the sidewalk suggests that the narrator might just have an idealized view of her father. As the narrator describes how Pop helps with homework and bandages her scrapes, the visuals show him flailing but always doing his best. The child wants to thank Pop, so she plans a day filled with fun, but nothing goes right. They go fishing but don’t catch anything; their baseball game ends when the child can’t hit a single ball; and their attempt at forming a band falls flat. The child is dejected, but Pop reassures her that he’s enjoyed every minute, because “I got to do all this with YOU!” Softly edged illustrations in bright, warm tones evoke the gentle joy of the relationship. Much like Oge Mora’s Saturday (2019), this tender tale makes clear spending time together is what matters most—not how many home runs or high notes you hit. This can be a hard lesson to pick up, so another picture book with this message is most welcome, especially one centering a loving father-daughter relationship. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A much-needed reminder to embrace the imperfections. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: May 9, 2023

ISBN: 9781250819444

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT
by Corey Finkle ; illustrated by Shelley Couvillion

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LEGEND OF MOMOTARO
adapted by Corey Finkle ; illustrated by Jason Nemec ; Thom Adams ; developed by Ghost Hand Games

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)