Solidly helpful.
An answer to questions about death and grief.
Life—it begins, changes, and ends, the authors inform us. When someone dies, their body stops working, and they don’t come back, like readers see sometimes in stories. We don’t know what “happens to our spirit, or soul, or energy,” although people have different ideas. Most people experience grief, a mixture of love and sadness for the deceased, but the authors emphasize that grief can look and feel differently. Grievers usually benefit from the support of loved ones and from saying goodbye in a meaningful way. Like previous titles in the series, this entry employs a frank, conversational tone and directs prompting, open-ended questions at readers to help them connect their own experiences to the textual discussion. They will also help readers internalize the repeated message that death isn’t their fault and that they matter to others who are still alive. Backmatter encourages caregivers to keep discussions candid and concrete while including children in the grieving process. Overall, this is a pragmatic addition to existing titles about death and grief. The soothing, cartoonish artwork focuses on two families—one is brown-skinned with a pale-skinned grandparent; the other includes a brown-skinned child with pale-skinned guardians.
Solidly helpful. (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780593662380
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers.
The team of Costain and Lovšin (Daddies are Awesome, 2016) gives moms their due.
Rhyming verses tell of all the ways moms are amazing: “Mommies are magic. / They kiss away troubles… // …find gold in the sunlight / and rainbows in bubbles.” Moms are joyful—the best playmates. They are also fearless and will protect and soothe if you are scared. Clever moms know just what to do when you’re sad, sporty moms run and leap and climb, while tender moms cuddle. “My mommy’s so special. / I tell her each day… // … just how much I love her / in every way!” Whereas dads were illustrated with playful pups and grown-up dogs in the previous book, moms are shown as cats with their kittens in myriad colors, sizes, and breeds. Lovšin’s cats look as though they are smiling at each other in their fun, though several spreads are distractingly cut in half by the gutter. However delightful the presentation—the verse rolls fairly smoothly, and the cats are pretty cute—the overall effect is akin to a cream puff’s: very sweet and insubstantial.
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62779-651-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties.
What is being a Swiftie all about? Finding joy in the things you love!
For Taylor Swift and her fans, love comes from baking tasty desserts, snuggling with pets, enjoying fireworks with friends, and attending concerts. Vibrant illustrations that evoke bright pop music are scattered with references to Taylor’s life, such as a red sports jersey (a nod to her high-profile relationship with a certain Kansas City Chiefs tight end) or a stack of friendship bracelets (which devotees know are commonly made by hand and traded at Swift’s concerts). Without this prior knowledge of Swift lore, this peppy picture book may feel like a somewhat superficial, though positive, list of ways to find happiness; some readers may wish the author had included messages about acceptance and self-love, commonly found in Swift’s lyrics. Still, the intended audience will welcome it as a joyful love letter to her fans. Pops of color splash across scenes of Taylor and a racially diverse set of friends doing their favorite things atop a stark white background. The star’s recognizable fashion style and facial features are spot-on, while most other featured characters feel more generic.
Colorful, upbeat, and just for Swifties. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781665973519
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon Spotlight
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2024
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