A wholesome and effusive first step into the natural world.
Contardo’s debut picture book follows a vegetable-loving young girl’s journey to a farm to see how food is grown.
Blond-haired, blue-eyed, dungaree-wearing Macie loves vegetables. At the supermarket, she sings a song in praise of her favorites—tomatoes, carrots, and beans. Then her Grandpa reveals an exciting secret: Before they reach the shops, vegetables are grown at a farm. Macie is excited to see this for herself, so Grandpa takes her to visit Farmer Lundyn. Macie soaks up everything there is to know about growing vegetables and grows her own basket of produce, which she presents to Grandpa. While not much information is imparted in Macie’s learning experience, Contardo captures both the magical enthusiasm of early childhood and the special dynamic that exists between young children and their grandparents. The gentle story is hemmed in by a slavish striving for end-rhymes; for example: “At the farm, where pretty sunflowers thrive, / They meet Farmer Lundyn when they arrive.” The text is presented in simple black font across colorful blank spaces within Contardo’s digital illustrations. These images are bright, albeit more serviceable than genuinely artistic, with little variation in the characters’ Disney-character-like expressions. There are some deft and sweet touches, however, such as the salad that Macie and Grandpa share, and Macie’s soft-toy carrot. Several post-story pages of farm- and vegetable-related questions and activities will encourage young readers to continue their explorations.
A wholesome and effusive first step into the natural world.Pub Date: Dec. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781962987073
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Mindstir Media
Review Posted Online: April 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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