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WHY THE WORLD NEEDS LOVE

Name: WHY THE WORLD NEEDS LOVE
Author: Gregory E. Lang
ISBN: 978-1-72825-888-1

From the Why We Need series

by Gregory E. Lang ; adapted by Craig Manning ; illustrated by Lisa Alderson ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 3, 2023

Why does the world need this book?

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A poetic reminder of love.

Told in verse that follows an AAAB rhyme scheme, this work, adapted by Manning from Lang’s earlier gift books, starts out at “maudlin” and keeps layering on the purple prose until even the most dewy-eyed readers will wonder if the title is supposed to be a satirical riff on sentimentality (“What makes a life full, and happy, and bright? / A feeling that warms you like summer’s sunlight? / What makes your heart feel like a bird in mid-flight? / The answer is easy: It’s love!”). Each spread features text on a white background accompanied by a small floral design; on the facing page, an image depicts an older and younger creature interacting. The illustrations are warm, with a fuzzy effect that ramps up the cute factor; if My Little Pony art is a five and Precious Moments figurines are a nine, this tale is going for 12. Not all the creature pairings—particularly the insects—are accurate. Dragonfly young are aquatic and unable to fly until adulthood, and young ladybugs look nothing like adults (and are proof of awkward childhoods). The creators missed an opportunity to identify the animals depicted in the story, so caregivers should plan to do some research if curious youngsters have questions about the less common creatures portrayed. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Why does the world need this book? (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023

ISBN: 978-1-72825-888-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland

Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
WHY WE NEED GRANDSONS
by Gregory E. Lang ; illustrated by Lisa Alderson

- BOOK REVIEW
WHY WE NEED GRANDDAUGHTERS
by Gregory E. Lang ; illustrated by Lisa Alderson

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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...

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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

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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.

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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)