Full of empathy and friendship, this appealing tale invites readers to a yard party.
A dog celebrates friendship with her human family and canine pals in this third installment of a picture-book series.
Lovable Lucy, a small pooch who looks like an English toy spaniel, isn’t sure why her humans are getting out all their pool and water equipment for something they call a “Barkyard Bash.” But she soon realizes they’re having a party, and all the neighbor dogs are coming, too. The large cast of canines and humans can make it hard to keep track of the jam-packed bash, both in the illustrations and the text. But that reflects the chaos of the party. And despite the number of friends present, Lovable Lucy manages to find time to comfort all the pals who need support. Reluctant to stop the fun, Lucy and her humans continue the splashing even after the neighbors have departed. As the family reflects, Lucy decides: “Most of all, I love having all my friends together.” Roth and Penn use accessible vocabulary in Lucy’s voice to tell the enjoyable story but never fall into the conceit that dogs can actually talk to humans. The only people hearing Lucy’s commentary are readers. The pooch’s neighborhood is clearly a loving one, full of a diverse cast—both human and canine—beautifully depicted in Hernandez’s digital illustrations. A deaf character, who signs in the images, is further represented in an American Sign Language glossary for some of the book’s terms.
Full of empathy and friendship, this appealing tale invites readers to a yard party.Pub Date: July 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781737663065
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Wag Your Tale Press
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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