A tale to get lost in.
While beachcombing, young Cora encounters a merchild stranded on the shore after a storm.
In time, the foundling’s name is revealed as Orpheline, a cognate of orphan, just as Cora echoes coral. The artfulness of these name choices is matched by Phumiruk’s care in illustrating the characters in a realistic style that lends credulity to the blurring of lines between fantasy and reality. Though startled when Cora brings the merbaby home, Mama allows the child to look after Orpheline in cozy domestic scenes of bathtime, play, and bedtime. The story unfolds like Marjorie Newman and Patrick Benson’s Mole and the Baby Bird (2002), evoking the adage “If you love someone, set them free.” Cora does love Orpheline, and though Orpheline comes to love Cora, she longs for her underwater home, with a magical shell around her neck connecting her to her mermaid mother’s voice. Encouraged by Mama, Cora returns Orpheline to the beach after another storm, where a mermother-and-child reunion ensues. The touching conclusion affirms Cora and Orpheline’s lasting connection, their bond represented and enabled by a magical seashell necklace of Cora’s own. Orpheline has peachy skin, light brown hair, and a green fishtail; Cora is pale-skinned with dark hair.
A tale to get lost in. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781536226515
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: March 8, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2025
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 jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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