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NO MORE NOISY NIGHTS

Name: NO MORE NOISY NIGHTS
Author: Holly L. Niner
ISBN: 978-1-936261-93-2

by Holly L. Niner ; illustrated by Guy Wolek ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2017

Neither rousing nor a snore, this story still satisfies

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Unexpected housemates lead to fitful nights for a new subterranean tenant.

Jackson the mole finds moving day exhausting. After unpacking his cozy underground home, he settles into bed for some well-deserved rest. However, three unexpectedly noisy and bored supernatural housemates interrupt his sleep night after night. Jackson’s inventive solutions for his problem don’t lead to silent nights, but the ruckus becomes a dull roar and at last he can sleep. Readers will wonder both how Jackson readily recognizes each rowdy offender (“There must be a pixie in the piano”) and why he doesn’t just drive them out. The passage of time seems problematic, as each offender seems active only every third night. And yet there is much to enjoy: the silly mistakes Jackson makes from lack of sleep, effective page turns that build suspense, and a predictable story structure. Soft, computer-generated illustrations will engage observant young readers keen to explore Jackson’s new home. At times, apparent variations in the resolution of different elements within the illustrations cause some elements to feel out of place. Additional inconsistencies include objects that shift position from spread to spread, and on one page, a clock seems to have three hands instead of two. It’s too bad these inconsistencies keep the artwork from rising to the level of the delightful text.

Neither rousing nor a snore, this story still satisfies . (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-936261-93-2

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Flashlight Press

Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE DAY I RAN AWAY
by Holly L. Niner ; illustrated by Isabella Ongaro

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THE WORLD NEEDS THE WONDER YOU SEE

by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 28, 2025

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.

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Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.

There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025

ISBN: 9781400247417

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORLD NEEDS WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney

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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)