bookshelf

TELL SOMEONE

Name: TELL SOMEONE
Author: Debra Kempf Shumaker
ISBN: 978-0-8075-7769-1

by Debra Kempf Shumaker ; illustrated by Tristan Yuvienco ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2021

A forthright tool for social-emotional learning.

bookshelf

A gentle reminder about the importance of open communication.

At first glance, the title might suggest intimidating, even frightening scenarios, but the titular phrase is meant for both good and bad days. A small White tot inspects a scraped knee after a scooter accident: “When I’m bumped and bruised / or scraped and scratched— / if I’m hurt— // I tell someone.” But a different White child triumphantly masters a two-wheeler: “When I pedal real fast / and stay upright— / if I’m happy— // I tell someone. / High fives all around!” Other scenes show a racially diverse cast of youngsters who are worried, grateful, sad, or brave. But it always helps to name—and share—emotions. Children are empowered to advocate for themselves. Shumaker deftly points out that “some things I can’t fix by myself”—including when “I have a secret that doesn’t feel right.” Yuvienco’s expressive-eyed cast of characters includes not just parents, but possible friends, siblings, teachers, and grandparents. All can be trusted listeners. The appended note from a clinical social worker touches on the differences between telling and tattling. It also reminds adults of the importance of “listening with our whole bodies” when children have emotions to share.

A forthright tool for social-emotional learning. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-8075-7769-1

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Whitman

Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
WIND IS A DANCE
by Debra Kempf Shumaker ; illustrated by Josée Bisaillon

- BOOK REVIEW
PECULIAR PRIMATES
by Debra Kempf Shumaker ; illustrated by Claire Powell

- BOOK REVIEW
FREAKY, FUNKY FISH
by Debra Kempf Shumaker ; illustrated by Claire Powell

bookshelf

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...

bookshelf

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

bookshelf

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.

bookshelf

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)