An expertly drawn and composed introduction to self-discovery.
Wishes can help us to feel brave.
Birdie, a light-skinned girl with curly red hair, is happy by herself, reading books, watching bugs, and blowing on delicate wishing flowers. But when she is around other children, Birdie feels out of place and shy. When a new girl arrives in her classroom, Birdie is entranced. Sunny, who is beige-skinned with long dark pigtails, has a “nature name” like Birdie’s, and they like many of the same things—reading, rescuing bugs, drawing…and wishes. The more they play together, the braver Birdie feels, finding her way, little by little, out of her shell. Soon, Birdie feels confident enough to play with the other children at school, too. Birdie’s wish has come true and helped her to grow inside and out. Loose lines and vibrant springtime hues of deep green, blue, and purple lend a playful aura to the girls’ interactions, at times even seeming ethereal and otherworldly. Birdie’s responses to Sunny’s presence—her stomach does flips, she blushes, and her heart beats fast—suggest that this is more than a friendship; many young queer readers will feel seen. Smaller vignettes pair well with larger spreads that alternate close-up and distant perspectives, drawing readers into the drama of new friendships and Birdie’s social-emotional development. Concise prose, at times nearly poetic, features expressive and carefully chosen phrases, such as “Her heart ballooned like a parachute.” (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An expertly drawn and composed introduction to self-discovery. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 30, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-43044-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school...
The familiar theme of the challenges facing a new kid in town is given an original treatment by photographer Border in this book of photos of three-dimensional objects in a simple modeled landscape.
Peanut Butter is represented by a slice of white bread spread with the popular condiment. The other characters in the story—a hamburger with a pair of hot dogs in tow, a bowl of alphabet soup, a meatball jumping a rope of spaghetti, a carton of French fries and a pink cupcake—are represented by skillfully crafted models of these foods, anthropomorphized using simple wire construction. Rejected by each character in turn in his search for playmates, Peanut Butter discovers in the end that Jelly is his true match (not Cupcake, as the title suggests), perhaps because she is the only one who looks like him, being a slice of white bread spread with jelly. The friendly foods end up happily playing soccer together. Some parents may have trouble with the unabashedly happy depiction of carbs and American junk food (no carrots or celery sticks in this landscape), and others may find themselves troubled by the implication that friendship across difference is impossible.
Still, preschoolers will likely savor this mouthwatering treatment of a subject that looms large in many early school experiences. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 29, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-16773-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2014
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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