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
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 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
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