As in Naturi Thomas's Uh-oh! It's Mama's Birthday (p. 388), a boy's good intentions are at the center of this oft-used plot of a youth who sets off to buy a gift, only to purchase something for himself instead. Kenyon finds himself in a dilemma after spending the money for his grandmother's 90th birthday gift on a new baseball glove. Realizing his mistake, he thinks hard about giving Little Dolly something that does not cost money, and puts together a book of his grandmother's much vaunted stories (none of which are recounted here). In doing so, he becomes the next ``Keeper'' of tales, an honor usually reserved for women in the family. Learning from one's mistakes is the message; readers will have to overlook the fact that the baseball-loving Kenyon gains the coveted mitt for himself in the process. The acrylic illustrations are reminiscent of James Ransome's early work; some awkward perspectives detract from the mostly effective compositions, but one scene—an aerial view of Kenyon stretched out on the floor on his stomach, the marshmallow undersides of his sneakers exposed—is quite unique. (Picture book. 5-8)
Pub Date: Nov. 1, 1997
ISBN: 1-880000-58-X
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1997
Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-00361-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
This multigenerational snuggle will encourage the sharing of old memories and the creation of new ones.
Hill and Bobbiesi send a humungous hug from grandmothers to their granddaughters everywhere.
Delicate cartoon art adds details to the rhyming text showing multigenerational commonalities. “You and I are alike in such wonderful ways. / You will see more and more as you grow” (as grandmother and granddaughter enjoy the backyard together); “I wobbled uncertainly just as you did / whenever I tried something new” (as a toddler takes first steps); “And if a bad dream woke me up in the night, / I snuggled up with my lovey too” (grandmother kisses granddaughter, who clutches a plush narwhal). Grandmother-granddaughter pairs share everyday joys like eating ice cream, dancing “in the rain,” and making “up silly games.” Although some activities skew stereotypically feminine (baking, yoga), a grandmother helps with a quintessential volcano experiment (this pair presents black, adding valuable STEM representation), another cheers on a young wheelchair athlete (both present Asian), and a third, wearing a hijab, accompanies her brown-skinned granddaughter on a peace march, as it is “important to speak out for what you believe.” The message of unconditional love is clear throughout: “When you need me, I’ll be there to listen and care. / There is nothing that keeps us apart.” The finished book will include “stationery…for a special letter from Grandma to you!”
This multigenerational snuggle will encourage the sharing of old memories and the creation of new ones. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-7282-0623-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020
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