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ALL’S RIGHT WITH THE WORLD

Name: ALL’S RIGHT WITH THE WORLD
Author: Jennifer Adams
ISBN: 978-0-06-296248-5

by Jennifer Adams ; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 7, 2023

A charmer that captures the exuberance of finding happiness in the little things.

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A slice-of-life tale, from dawn to dusk.

Drawing inspiration from Robert Browning’s “Pippa’s Song” (the poem is included toward the end of the book), Adams follows a pair of brown-skinned children—neighbors on the same city block—as they greet the day, head to school, walk home, have dinner together, and prepare for bed. Both the soothingly written verse and the vibrant mixed-media illustrations, done in Silas Neal’s signature style, bring this bustling, beautiful neighborhood to life and demonstrate that even in an urban setting, there are ways to appreciate nature—the kids gaze at a snail on one spread; another page depicts a child’s drawing of flowers on a fridge. The work also quietly reminds readers of the joys of everyday routines. Cats and birds are a recurring thread throughout—perched or soaring above the unnamed protagonists or lounging in the background. Those seeking additional tributes to city life should pair this one with Matt de la Peña’s Milo Imagines the World (2021), illustrated by Christian Robinson, and Jacqueline Woodson’s The World Belonged to Us (2022), illustrated by Leo Espinosa. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charmer that captures the exuberance of finding happiness in the little things. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 7, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-06-296248-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Nov. 15, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | CHILDREN'S POETRY

- BOOK REVIEW
A BOOK, TOO, CAN BE A STAR
by Charlotte Jones Voiklis & Jennifer Adams ; illustrated by Adelina Lirius

- BOOK REVIEW
I AM A KINDNESS HERO
by Jennifer Adams ; illustrated by Carme Lemniscates

- BOOK REVIEW
GOODNIGHT, LITTLE DANCER
by Jennifer Adams ; illustrated by Alea Marley

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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)