Simply lovely.
Little Bird loves his cozy nest so much that, as winter approaches, he can’t bear to leave it.
Every day, Little Bird sits on his favorite branch, eats his favorite food (juicy red berries), and listens to his favorite music, provided by wind chimes tied to another, nearby branch. So, when the wind starts to blow and his big brother tells him it’s time to head south to the family’s winter home, Little Bird decides to take all his favorite things, including his nest, with him. As the flock flies higher and higher, Little Bird tries to keep up, but it’s hopeless. His favorite branch falls into the mouth of a grateful dog, the wind chimes land near a shepherd atop a snowy mountain, and a clap of thunder sends Little Bird’s gathered berries onto the quills of a porcupine. When Little Bird finally reaches his new home, he doesn’t have his favorite things. In a short time, though, he discovers lots of new favorite things. And soon it feels like home. Empson’s dreamy illustrations capture the beauty and majesty of nature with warmth and elegance; wide-eyed Little Bird is a green-and-yellow puffball. Children will readily identify with both his juvenile appearance and his desire to cling to the familiar. The text is properly simple and direct and is closed with a short postscript on the adventure of migration.
Simply lovely. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-84643-889-9
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Child's Play
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2016
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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