Not a worthwhile or necessary addition to Passover stories; it may find a home on the shelves of some Christian families,...
A retelling of the story of Moses, cast adrift and saved by Pharaoh’s daughter.
A mournful mother prepares a watertight basket for her baby son, and she and his older sister kiss him goodbye. They carry him through a crowded marketplace to the river, singing as they walk along, “God will hide us in the shelter of a rock.” They then set him afloat. The sister, who narrates, imagines many dangers in and about the Nile: soldiers, currents, crocodiles. Then, dressed in ornate finery, Pharaoh’s daughter and her attendants appear. The sister would like to snatch the baby from the water, but it is Pharaoh’s daughter who holds him and comforts him. The sister shows herself and tells them that she can bring them a woman to nurse the baby; it is his mother. Miriam, the sister, tells the story in her own words, although she is never named in the text. The narration circles around verses of the author’s original song, “The Shelter of God’s Wings,” and reads like stanzas to its refrain of God’s power. The mundane illustrations feature brown-skinned people and a plethora of green reeds. In the author’s note, there is a brief summary of the history of the Hebrew people in Egypt from Joseph to Moses and the entry into the promised land. The festive holiday of Passover, which celebrates this event, is not mentioned, however.
Not a worthwhile or necessary addition to Passover stories; it may find a home on the shelves of some Christian families, however. (song notation, lyrics) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-947888-30-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flyaway Books
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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