A gorgeous story about the love of one’s homeland and the courage it takes to emigrate.
A young Dominican girl grapples with emigrating from her homeland.
Anita has long watched the “dragons” fly “high above.” Though they roar and shake, Anita, being a “valiant princesa,” doesn’t fear them. But today a dragon will carry Anita and her mother and father and brothers from their island to a “distant land far, far away from the Dominican Republic.” Lyrical prose accompanied by lovely illustrations that have the look of pastels and collage describes Anita’s fears about what’s to come as well as her anxiety about what she’ll miss about her beloved homeland. The knowledge that hot baths, conveniences, and new experiences await her doesn’t dull the ache that comes from leaving her beautiful life on her island and special people like her abuela. But like the brave princesa she is, Anita eventually “hold[s her] chin high” and meets the dragon, and with it her new life—promising her island “with mango-sweet kisses; black stormy nights; glassy, blue waves; spicy, hot heat; and sandy, snug hugs” that she will return. The art, often pastel hued, adds wonderful texture to the gorgeous text and portrays Anita with dark-brown skin, a trait shared with the majority of the other characters. The unfortunate choice to italicize the majority of the few Spanish words persists throughout.
A gorgeous story about the love of one’s homeland and the courage it takes to emigrate. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-911373-63-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lantana
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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
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