Fun if didactic.
A messy boy comes to a compromise after a school day spent trying to tame his unruly head of hair.
Aidan’s brown hair is wild and unkempt; the greasy mop has a mind of its own. At school, Aidan’s hair takes over by tying itself into bows, then reaching out to grab paintbrushes and splatter paint everywhere. At recess it creates havoc by grabbing other students with its octopuslike tentacles and yanking them into a mud puddle. Via the bathroom mirror, the exasperated and exhausted Aidan has a tête-à-tête with his hair. In response to his frustrated pleas, it offers a selection of possible styles. Most importantly, it wants hygiene, a few tendrils twining themselves into a cursive “WASH ME.” Aidan agrees to wash his hair on weeknights but will revert to his happy, grubby self on weekends. Bright illustrations depict humorous, fantastically disruptive school scenes centered on the gap-toothed and mostly good-natured white boy’s sloppy appearance and his out-of-control mane. Aidan’s ultimate understanding of simple personal hygiene allows for a plausible solution to make his school day go smoothly. As with many lesson books, it seems to have so much fun with its out-of-control premise that the relatively tidy Aidan standing at the bus stop the next morning feels like a letdown. Readers who notice his untied shoelaces will see that yet more taming is in the offing.
Fun if didactic. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62370-884-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: April 30, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2017
A full-hearted valentine.
A soaring panegyric to elementary school as a communal place to learn and grow.
“This is a kid,” Schu begins. “This is a kid in a class. This is a class in a hall….” If that class—possibly second graders, though they could be a year to either side of that—numbers only about a dozen in Jamison’s bright paintings, it makes up for that in diversity, with shiny faces of variously brown or olive complexion well outnumbering paler ones; one child using a wheelchair; and at least two who appear to be Asian. (The adult staff is likewise racially diverse.) The children are individualized in the art, but the author’s narrative is addressed more to an older set of readers as it runs almost entirely to collective nouns and abstract concepts: “We share. We help. / This is a community, growing.” Younger audiences will zero in on the pictures, which depict easily recognizable scenes of both individual and collective learning and play, with adults and classmates always on hand to help out or join in. Signs of conflict are unrealistically absent, but an occasional downcast look does add a bit of nuance to the general air of eager positivity on display. A sad face at an apartment window with a comment that “[s]ometimes something happens, and we can’t all be together” can be interpreted as an oblique reference to pandemic closings, but the central message here is that school is a physical space, not a virtual one, where learning and community happen. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A full-hearted valentine. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0458-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet reminder to pause and ponder life’s everyday wonders.
A young girl models mindfulness as she savors each moment.
This charming and vibrant picture book opens in Tisha’s backyard, where she is reaching skyward as falling blossoms float toward her. Her joy and anticipation are disrupted by a series of “hurry up” commands from those around her, who prod her to rush for the school bus, attend an assembly, and make sure that she doesn’t miss lunch. The externally imposed directions conflict with Tisha’s natural curiosity, which compels her not only to “listen to the sounds” and to count the spots on a ladybug she finds during recess, but also to create connections between a book she finds about space and the space shuttle she imagines but cannot finish drawing because “it’s time to put the crayons away.” When Tisha requests “a little slowdown,” she and Mommy decide to walk home and play “How Many?” along the way; they also snuggle on a park bench and name all the pigeons. What began as a harried day ends on an idyllic note with a family picnic under flowering trees; when the wind blows, Tisha can catch a blossom at last. Artful and striking illustrations produce a multitude of visual textures that delineate individual blooms, sketch Tisha’s neighborhood, render colorful yet subtle details of characters and clothing, and deliver painterly impressions. Tisha and her family are tan-skinned with dark hair; her classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet reminder to pause and ponder life’s everyday wonders. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 17, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2198-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
