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SISSIES GO TO MEXICO

A simple, upbeat travel adventure.

Two young sisters enjoy a fun vacation in Mexico in this children’s board book.

An unnamed narrator tells her younger sister about their upcoming trip to Mexico. As the blond, blue-eyed, light-skinned sisters pack their suitcases, the narrator describes what they will experience on their excursion. For example, she says that in Mexico, they will “wear sombreros and take them home,” and on arrival, their family will be “greeted with drinks.” The older sister also explains how they will examine local plant and animal life and even meet creatures like a coatimundi and an iguana. The girl assures her younger sister that she will adore new things such as a quesadilla, “just melted cheese inside a tortilla.” The rhyme here is sparse and lively. In this third installment of a series, Howard’s cheerful text includes some Spanish words and phrases: “The cabana is a great place to take a siesta.” The straightforward travel story doesn’t delve into Mexico’s rich culture and history. It consists of the sisters’ brief explorations of both the environmental and sightseeing aspects of the country and regular vacation pursuits, such as buying souvenirs and lunching on the beach. Featuring Rouaux’s cartoonlike illustrations, the tale portrays the characters with big, round eyes. The colorful, sunny images mostly mirror happenings in the text, showing the sisters participating in typical tourist activities. For example, when the siblings “dance to music and the loud ocean waves,” they are depicted shaking maracas.

A simple, upbeat travel adventure.

Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-951317-17-1

Page Count: 10

Publisher: Weeva

Review Posted Online: July 12, 2021

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

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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