Underwhelming and offering little new for toddlers.
A board book inspired by Montessori principles features developmentally appropriate vocabulary and tactile elements.
Over 10 double-page spreads the book depicts nine musical instruments—trumpet, clarinet, cymbals, sousaphone, bass drum, saxophone, flute, glockenspiel, and snare drum—and a parade featuring all of them. A rough approximation of the sound of each instrument is the only text. The “plink” of the glockenspiel, “oom-pah” of the sousaphone, and “tootle-tootle-too” of the flute are clear, but attempts at onomatopoeia for the other instruments are less successful. (A QR code on the back cover provides access to sound files introduced by a robotic speaker.) The sounds are repeated as the entire marching band parades across the final spread, which also reveals the musicians to be a variety of races and ethnicities. A woman in the onlooking crowd wears a hijab. Though advertised prominently, the tactile elements really feel like an afterthought. On five pages, canvas textures hidden in small musical notes are almost indiscernible to tiny fingers. On four pages those canvas textures are placed somewhat arbitrarily on parts of each instrument. The larger tactile elements in the simultaneously publishing companion, Colors, are more prominent and therefore more effective. There, Wilson’s muted colors have undertones of gray so the blue is closer to teal and the pink is really coral, reducing its efficacy. The only text is the color name.
Underwhelming and offering little new for toddlers. (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1649-4
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2019
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer.
Rotner follows up her celebrations of spring and autumn with this look at all things winter.
Beginning with the signs that winter is coming—bare trees, shorter days, colder temperatures—Rotner eases readers into the season. People light fires and sing songs on the solstice, trees and plants stop growing, and shadows grow long. Ice starts to form on bodies of water and windows. When the snow flies, the fun begins—bundle up and then build forts, make snowballs and snowmen (with eyebrows!), sled, ski (nordic is pictured), skate, snowshoe, snowboard, drink hot chocolate. Animals adapt to the cold as well. “Birds grow more feathers” (there’s nothing about fluffing and air insulation) and mammals, more hair. They have to search for food, and Rotner discusses how many make or find shelter, slow down, hibernate, or go underground or underwater to stay warm. One page talks about celebrating holidays with lights and decorations. The photos show a lit menorah, an outdoor deciduous tree covered in huge Christmas bulbs, a girl next to a Chinese dragon head, a boy with lit luminarias, and some fireworks. The final spread shows signs of the season’s shift to spring. Rotner’s photos, as always, are a big draw. The children are a marvelous mix of cultures and races, and all show their clear delight with winter.
A solid addition to Rotner’s seasonal series. Bring on summer. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3976-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself.
Middle school drama hits hard in this coming-of-age graphic memoir.
Natural competitor Misty has faced off against the boys for years, always coming out on top, but now they’re moving on without her into the land of full-contact football. Never one to back away from a challenge, Misty resolves to join the team and convinces her best friend, Bree, to join her. While Misty pours herself into practicing, obviously uninterested Bree—who was motivated more by getting to be around boys than doing sports—drifts toward popular queen bee Ava, creating an uneasy dynamic. Feeling estranged from Bree, Misty, who typically doesn’t think much about her appearance, tries to navigate seventh grade—even experimenting with a more traditionally feminine gender expression—while also mastering her newfound talent for tackling and facing hostility from some boys on the team. Readers with uncommon interests will relate to the theme of being the odd one out. Social exclusion and cutting remarks can be traumatic, so it’s therapeutic to see Misty begin to embrace her differences instead of trying to fit in with frenemies who don’t value her. The illustrations are alive with color and rich emotional details, pairing perfectly with the heartfelt storytelling. The husband-and-wife duo’s combined efforts will appeal to fans of Raina Telgemeier and Shannon Hale. Main characters present as White; some background characters read as Black.
A sincere, genuine, and uplifting book that affirms the importance of being true to yourself. (Graphic memoir. 9-13)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-06-306469-0
Page Count: 272
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
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