A passionate celebration of cultural identity.
A young South Asian girl dreams of wearing a saree.
Divya loves her mother’s sarees, whether “peacock blue,” “lotus pink,” or “parrot green,” or “soft and silky” or “crisp and stiff.” But when Divya asks Amma if she, too, can wear one, Amma tells her she’s too young. Although disappointed, Divya accepts that one day, she’ll be able to make use of her mother’s impressive collection. But then Divya’s teacher, Mrs. Gonzalez, announces that the school’s upcoming Heritage Night will feature a fashion show. When Divya asks Amma if she can don a saree for this special occasion, Amma says no: “You know you have to be older….And it’s too long and too wide for a little girl like you.” Disheartened, Divya agrees to wear a silk skirt made by her grandmother. The next day, her classmates enthuse about the dirndl, hanbok, and salwar kameez they’ll be wearing, while Divya stays quiet. It isn’t until Heritage Night that Divya finds a reason to be cheerful again—when Amma presents Divya with her first saree. The story’s pacing feels a bit uneven; the reasons for Amma’s sudden change of heart are unclear. Still, Divya’s love for her heritage is palpable and relatable, and the conflict she grapples with will resonate with many young people. Sreenivasan’s inspired use of patterns gives the artwork a sense of movement and energy.
A passionate celebration of cultural identity. (author’s and illustrator’s notes, glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781338834147
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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