A tender tribute to libraries and librarians.
When a beloved neighborhood tree is cut down, a child decides to create a little library in its place.
Alfonso and Abuela, a former school librarian, love to curl up beneath an old oak tree and read. “She says books hold the world together and you can never have too many,” Alfonso tells us. But the tree is sick and in danger of knocking over a power line. It must come down. After it’s been cut down, Alfonso realizes that the remaining stump can be turned into a minilibrary; they’ll call it Abuela’s Library. Alfonso’s friends are skeptical, but with help from Papi, Mami, Abuelo, Abuela, and others, Alfonso’s dream becomes a reality. The resulting structure has windows, a painted door, and even fairy lights. While it’s smaller than a public library, it’s larger than most little free libraries; children are able to step inside. People gather and ask Alfonso for recommendations, and the little one happily obliges. “This is how my love for matching people with the perfect book begins,” Alfonso explains. “It’s how I know I will be a librarian one day too.” Norman’s upbeat tale shows how a sad event can be turned into a community project and a source of happiness. It’s a love letter to trees, to reading, and to the librarians who inspire others to learn and grow. Gómez’s round-eyed, round-headed characters are endearing. Alfonso’s family is cued Latine; the community is diverse.
A tender tribute to libraries and librarians. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 11, 2024
ISBN: 9780063067530
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
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 good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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