Sweet but not satisfying.
A friendship story with a heaping helping of puns.
The Fridgers and the Cupboard Crew seem content to stay on their own sides of the kitchen. The foods that reside in the refrigerator badmouth the nonperishables throughout the day, except Jelly, who wonders if the foodstuffs in the cabinet are really all that bad. The Cupboard Crew is no better; they discuss why the refrigerated items are nefarious—everyone, that is, except Peanut Butter, whose natural curiosity spurs the action of the story. All the food meets on the kitchen island to mingle for the Friday Night Jam, where Peanut Butter, aka PB, introduces himself to Jelly, aka J, after shyly admiring her dance moves. Then, in a scene fit for a teen drama, a smooth-talking jar of pickles barges in, causing PB to leave in dismay and J to lose her lid. This attracts the household dog, who makes a beeline for the vulnerable J, forcing PB to make a brave choice to rescue his new friend. Food puns and jokes dominate. The cartoon foods are adorable, with expressive, emotional faces. It’s a shame then that the bulk of the writing is relatively bland, like a loaf of crustless white bread. The social-emotional skill of relationship building is somewhat unrealistically shown in this kitchen that goes from cliquey to cohesive over the course of one fateful evening. Kids may adore the art, but neither they nor caregivers will appreciate the far-fetched foodie fable. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Sweet but not satisfying. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Jan. 17, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-32739-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.
What can you do when things go wrong?
Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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