An exercise in self-awareness in the face of debilitating anxiety.
A child expresses and mitigates their anxieties through their dog.
A light-skinned child narrator informs readers, “I have a dog named Bea. She worries. Like me.” Even though the only thing they have planned this weekend is going outside to play, the narrator states that Bea is worried about what might happen. While the text has the narrator heavily preparing in order to quell “Bea’s” apprehension, the illustrations—depicting the protagonist’s worried expressions and Bea’s joyful, rambunctious body language—make it clear what’s really going on. The narrator proposes bringing supplies (a sweater, a compass and a map, and more); when that does not allay their fears, the child and pup turn to self-regulating exercises including breathing exercises, yoga, and group therapy with stuffed toys. Finally, the gentle urging of the narrator’s furry friend quiets their worries, providing a sense of safety to help face the day outdoors. Soft, muted illustrations pair well with the text to create a slow pace and tranquil atmosphere of mindfulness and comfort. The lack of adults in the narration gives space and opportunity for self-guided regulation mechanisms and acknowledges the power of companionship in helping to grapple with those fears. However, readers with similar issues will get the most out of this story if it’s shared with a trusted adult. In an author’s note, Reynolds discusses how she experienced anxiety from a very young age. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An exercise in self-awareness in the face of debilitating anxiety. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 23, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-46563-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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