A strong story for dandelion lovers—and readers seeking ways to discuss discrimination.
A young dandelion activist makes the case for valuing the common flower at a human town hall meeting in this illustrated children’s book.
Dandi Ade’ McLion is proud of her dandelion heritage. While Dandi is generally happy, she becomes sad thinking about how humans have a prejudice against dandelions. Dandi’s mama encourages her to use her voice, and though at first the flower isn’t sure how to speak to humans, she soon comes up with an idea. The tiny plant decides to present her case at a town hall meeting, explaining the virtues of dandelions. She asserts: “I’m sure if you knew more about us you’d treat us much nicer!” Dandi shares how humans used to value dandelions, how their roots help lawns and prevent erosion, and how their puffball seeds bring joy. She extols the dandelions’ powers of pollination and even notes that they are edible and healthy for humans. Her impassioned speech (tempered by a deep breath to keep her anger out of her words) causes members of the human community to become dandelion allies. McLaurin mixes science and advocacy in a kid-friendly story. The author uses challenging vocabulary words for emergent readers, many of which are defined in the glossary at the end, but couches them in a way that makes them understandable from the context. Unfortunately, a shift from past tense to present in the middle of the tale may puzzle newly independent readers. Still, Dandi’s speech and actions—supporting better treatment of dandelions—double as a way to discuss human issues, including facing prejudice or simply encountering adults who fail to listen to children unless the kids speak up for themselves. Dandi’s intriguing perspective as a talking plant, with roots that can grow up to 15 feet deep but who can also walk to a meeting, requires a healthy suspension of disbelief. Hider’s soft-edged cartoon illustrations help, giving Dandi leaf arms that allow movement. The pictures capture Dandi’s enthusiasm and efforts, creating a hero whom young readers will identify with.
A strong story for dandelion lovers—and readers seeking ways to discuss discrimination.Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73648-202-5
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Khemrah Publishing, LLC
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
Thought-provoking and charming.
A sophisticated robot—with the capacity to use senses of sight, hearing, and smell—is washed to shore on an island, the only robot survivor of a cargo of 500.
When otters play with her protective packaging, the robot is accidently activated. Roz, though without emotions, is intelligent and versatile. She can observe and learn in service of both her survival and her principle function: to help. Brown links these basic functions to the kind of evolution Roz undergoes as she figures out how to stay dry and intact in her wild environment—not easy, with pine cones and poop dropping from above, stormy weather, and a family of cranky bears. She learns to understand and eventually speak the language of the wild creatures (each species with its different “accent”). An accident leaves her the sole protector of a baby goose, and Roz must ask other creatures for help to shelter and feed the gosling. Roz’s growing connection with her environment is sweetly funny, reminiscent of Randall Jarrell’s The Animal Family. At every moment Roz’s actions seem plausible and logical yet surprisingly full of something like feeling. Robot hunters with guns figure into the climax of the story as the outside world intrudes. While the end to Roz’s benign and wild life is startling and violent, Brown leaves Roz and her companions—and readers—with hope.
Thought-provoking and charming. (Science fiction/fantasy. 7-11)Pub Date: April 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-38199-4
Page Count: 288
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2016
SEEN & HEARD
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BOOK TO SCREEN
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