A much-needed reminder to embrace the imperfections.
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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