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KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING

Name: KINDNESS IS A KITE STRING
Author: Michelle Schaub
ISBN: 978-1-7330359-8-9

THE UPLIFTING POWER OF EMPATHY

by Michelle Schaub ; illustrated by Claire LaForte ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2021

A sweet message of kindness and empathy, best tempered with a gentle jolt of reality.

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This illustrated poem shows readers that kindness is worth catching and passing on.

The first act of kindness spotlighted in this illustrated poem is a child hugging their caregiver upon waking in the morning. This action sets up a chain reaction of kindnesses that flows until the illustrations come full circle, and the family members from the beginning become the beneficiaries of a stranger’s kindness when their lost dog is returned to them. The illustrations, brightly colored with a multiracial host of characters, create a story somewhat separate from the poem at times. The commitment to illustrating the ripple effect of kindness creates moments where the text does not sync with the illustrations. Readers will not understand the story about the lost dog until it is resolved, for instance. It also fosters the misleading idea that kindness is always met with the same, a message that is understandable but also not, sadly, totally realistic. On the opening pages, there is a guide instructing adult readers in the practice of dialogic reading. That thoughtful addition will prove helpful to many, since dialogic reading is not intuitive for all adults but, when employed, creates a dynamic and pleasurable reading experience for a child. The backmatter includes an explanation of metaphors and similes that may be a bit advanced for the target age range of the book.

A sweet message of kindness and empathy, best tempered with a gentle jolt of reality. (activities) (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2021

ISBN: 978-1-7330359-8-9

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Cardinal Rule Press

Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PLACE FOR RAIN
by Michelle Schaub ; illustrated by Blanca Gómez

- BOOK REVIEW
DREAM BIG, LITTLE SCIENTISTS
by Michelle Schaub ; illustrated by Alice Potter

- BOOK REVIEW
FRESH-PICKED POETRY
by Michelle Schaub ; illustrated by Amy Huntington

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)