A quiet story to read over and over.
Just what the title promises: an avian slice-of-life picture book.
In this gently quirky Swedish import, readers get a glimpse into the mind of young Lena as the little bird spends a day with baby brother Bo and their parents. Together, Lena and Bo play chicken: standing in the path of an oncoming car and flying off at the last minute, a dangerous game that meets with their parents’ disapproval when they come home for lunch. After washing their beaks, they nosh on flies—much to Papa’s chagrin. When he complains, Mama says, “You cook then.” The “bird day” progresses without big dramas but with plenty of small moments to inspire laughter and reflection. Watercolor illustrations do much of the narrative heavy lifting, zooming in and out to provide visual interest. Most spreads offer a close-up perspective of the birds’ world, but these scenes are punctuated by others depicting the sibling chicks as barely more than specks against the page. For example, when Lena and Bo play at fainting, they deliberately fall from a branch, and the accompanying art is dominated by two large trees, with two miniscule figures falling against the white of the page. Lena narrates, “Just as we’re about to hit the ground, we fly up again. We do it over and over.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A quiet story to read over and over. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781776575275
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2023
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
BOOK REVIEW
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
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