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PICTUREFACE LIZZY

Name: PICTUREFACE LIZZY
Author: Josh Gad
ISBN: 9780593463123

by Josh Gad ; illustrated by Marta Kissi ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 17, 2024

A humorous yet balanced take on a hot topic.

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Broadway and film actor Gad tells the story of a child who needs the hottest new electronic device to fit in—or so it seems.

Eve has many material possessions, family members, and pets, including a hedgehog named Snoop Hog, a three-legged lizard, and a puppy named Bluster. But, alas, Eve’s life is still a “tragedy,” because the child doesn’t have a PictureFace Lizzy electronic toy. Eve has asked for one 12 times, and while Mom and Dad haven’t said no outright, their non-answers haven’t yielded Eve’s desired outcome. A shopping trip with two friends who do have PictureFace Lizzy toys is another reminder of what Eve doesn’t have. Even gymnastics—where Eve is top of the class—makes the child feel left out when everyone dances to pop songs played by a PictureFace Lizzy. At birthday parties, sleepovers, and in school, Eve’s always the odd one out. Finally, Eve asks again and…best surprise ever: Eve gets a Lizzy! While the new tech brings Eve up to speed with the class, everyone actually has the most fun when they put their Lizzys away and experience life screen-free. This wholesome, funny tale tackles themes of consumerism and technology trends, while Kissi’s full-color cartoon art complements the first-person narration, capturing Eve’s flair for the dramatic. Eve’s cued as biracial, with one brown-skinned parent and one lighter-skinned parent. The Lizzy toys are customizable to resemble their owners.

A humorous yet balanced take on a hot topic. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024

ISBN: 9780593463123

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Putnam

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- SEEN & HEARD
Kristen Bell To Narrate Josh Gad Audiobook

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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: yesterday

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)