A delectable tale that will guide young readers to reexamine their own perceptions.
A young girl discovers the pitfalls of perfection.
Joo Hong admires the persimmon tree in her backyard; its fruit is “round like a full moon. Amber like the morning sun.” Though Mama warns her that the fruit isn’t ripe, Joo Hong can’t wait but soon realizes the persimmons “[aren’t] quite perfect yet.” She turns her attention to nurturing the tree in hopes that the fruit will be “more perfect” in time for her grandmother’s visit. The simple narrative reveals a montage of Joo Hong lovingly watering and nurturing the tree. Her efforts pay off as she enjoys a sweet harvest of sliced persimmons. But Grandma won’t be here until next weekend. Despite her attempts to store the persimmons in the shade, the fruit continues to form dark spots. Joo Hong greets her grandmother in tears with the “wrinkly and mushy” fruits. Grandma gently explains that the overripe persimmon is now considered a hongshi: “tender on the outside. Silky and juicy in the inside.” Endearing cartoon artwork is set against bright backdrops; Joo Hong’s exaggerated facial expressions comically capture her emotions, especially her frustration and impatience. Little ones fixated on the idea of perfection will find a kindred spirit in Joo Hong. Characters present East Asian, and in an author’s note, Chung explains that the story was inspired by her experiences growing up in Korea.
A delectable tale that will guide young readers to reexamine their own perceptions. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9781662620843
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Astra Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers.
Two little rats decide to show the world how tough they are, with unpredictable results.
Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to be just like their single dad, Big Lou: tough! They know that “tough” means doing mean things to other animals, like stealing Chad Badgerton’s hat. Chad Badgerton is a big badger, so taking that hat from him proves that Louie and Ralphie are just as tough as they want to be. However, it turns out that Louie and Ralphie have just done a good deed instead of a bad one: Chad Badgerton had taken that hat from little Tiny Crawley, a mouse, so when Tiny reclaims it, they are celebrated for goodness rather than toughness. Sadly, every attempt Louie and Ralphie make at doing mean things somehow turns nice. What’s a little boy rat supposed to do to be tough? Plus, they worry about what their dad will say when he finds out how good they’ve been. But wait! Maybe their dad has some other ideas? LaReau keeps the action high and completely appropriate for readers embarking on chapter books. Each of the first six chapters features a new, failed attempt by Louie and Ralphie to be mean, and the final, seventh chapter resolves everything nicely. The humor springs from their foiled efforts and their reactions to their failures. Myers’ sprightly grayscale drawings capture action and characters and add humorous details, such as the Ratsos’ “unwelcome” mat.
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7636-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy.
Robo-parents Diode and Lugnut present daughter Cathode with a new little brother—who requires, unfortunately, some assembly.
Arriving in pieces from some mechanistic version of Ikea, little Flange turns out to be a cute but complicated tyke who immediately falls apart…and then rockets uncontrollably about the room after an overconfident uncle tinkers with his basic design. As a squad of helpline techies and bevies of neighbors bearing sludge cake and like treats roll in, the cluttered and increasingly crowded scene deteriorates into madcap chaos—until at last Cath, with help from Roomba-like robodog Sprocket, stages an intervention by whisking the hapless new arrival off to a backyard workshop for a proper assembly and software update. “You’re such a good big sister!” warbles her frazzled mom. Wiesner’s robots display his characteristic clean lines and even hues but endearingly look like vaguely anthropomorphic piles of random jet-engine parts and old vacuum cleaners loosely connected by joints of armored cable. They roll hither and thither through neatly squared-off panels and pages in infectiously comical dismay. Even the end’s domestic tranquility lasts only until Cathode spots the little box buried in the bigger one’s packing material: “TWINS!” (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 52% of actual size.)
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-544-98731-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
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