A charming and expansive view of a common childhood excursion.
In this French import, translated by McCalmont, an observant child experiences the wonders of an outdoor city park.
Narrated by the child in the first person, the book begins with a stylized map of an impressive park complete with greenhouse, garden, petting zoo, and bandstand as well as the more typical pond, playground, picnic area, lawn, and small wooded area. On each verso page, clearly labeled pictures catalog items—critters, flowers, trees, fruit, vegetables, garden tools, and more—or activities found in different areas of the park, while the facing page shows the boy enjoying a discovery or favorite moment in the featured location. Orzel’s park is extremely stimulating—the narrator sees people playing bocce and table tennis, riding horses, and walking on a tightrope…not exactly everyday occurrences in most real-life parks. The upside-down picture of the playground is confusing until one reads the text: “My headstand gets better the more I practice.” Another map at the end offers choices for getting home from the park: bus, skateboard, moped, etc. A final double-page spread displays 40 items with the caption, “Do you remember where in the park we saw these things?” The protagonist has straight brown hair and coral-pink skin; their ethnicity and gender are unspecified, although the publisher’s copy refers to them as Sam. Background characters have a mix of skin tones and body builds. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming and expansive view of a common childhood excursion. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 10, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73760-324-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Blue Dot Kids Press
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
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
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
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