This sweet, humorous story respects and encourages children’s emotional intelligence.
When he realizes a little rain cloud is following him around, Sebastian responds by carrying an umbrella everywhere.
Sebastian is inside his home when he notices the cloud. He finds a large, red umbrella to carry around to protect himself from rain. The umbrella covers his head and shoulders completely and so keeps him dry, but it also keeps him from playing games, meeting new friends, talking to people, or even seeing the sky. One day, while playing kick-the-acorn in the park, Sebastian encounters a girl lying in the grass reading a book. She invites him to see a comet, but he says he can’t because of his umbrella. She asks why he is carrying an umbrella when it’s a sunny day with not a cloud in the sky—and indeed, even his little gray cloud has disappeared. Sebastian can finally put his umbrella away and look at the sky with a new friend. The book’s opening holds potential for both humor and profundity, and whichever line pulls the reader in will not disappoint. Curiosity and suspense propel the narrative, and the sudden change in circumstance invites readers to consider what roles feelings and relationships play in Sebastian’s environment. Crisp, simple illustrations show Sebastian, who is White (as is his new friend), in a variety of settings, with compositions that highlight key moments in his journey.
This sweet, humorous story respects and encourages children’s emotional intelligence. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-772290-52-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simply Read Books
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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