A lovely mix of kindhearted poems sure to appeal to young readers.
Poems of nature and togetherness fill the pages of this picture book with rhythm, rhyme, and warm emotions.
Beginning with a poem that celebrates outdoor experiences and friendship, “Here With You,” this collection offers rhymes about the joys of golden delicious apples, the delights of hugs, the cures for sadness, and the wonder of a good book. Descriptions of the natural world are strongly featured in the quiet spaces of “Between the Sun and Moon” and the gathering of boysenberries in “Boys in Berries.” Though the pieces occasionally venture into the fantastic, there are no gnomes here—until an endnote discloses that the poems, while meant for gnomes, “are also intended for children.” Howell’s whimsical, caring tone permeates the volume, especially in rhymes that emphasize supporting another person, as in “Should You Fall,” which begins: “Should you fall silent, / I will sing you, / if you’re empty, / I will bring you / all of me.” Many of the poems are only a few lines long, making them approachable for young readers, who may enjoy the way some unfamiliar vocabulary words come together in the stanzas (“nectar nuggets”). Tarcan captures the poems’ fanciful natures in digital cartoon illustrations that mix watercolor and colored-pencil textures. A lovely, somewhat abstract night scene emphasizes the quiet of “Between the Sun and Moon,” while a White child falling through a hole into a book heightens the humor of “Let’s Go!”
A lovely mix of kindhearted poems sure to appeal to young readers.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 978-1-64703-075-9
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Handersen Publishing
Review Posted Online: Oct. 4, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter.
A love letter to libraries.
A Black child, with hair in two puffballs tied with yellow ribbons, a blue dress with a Peter Pan collar, and black patent leather Mary Janes, helps Grandmother with the housework, then, at Grandmother’s suggestion, heads to the library. The child’s eagerness to go, with two books under an arm and one in their hand, suggests that this is a favorite destination. The books’ wordless covers emphasize their endless possibilities. The protagonist’s description of the library makes clear that they are always free to be themselves there—whether they feel happy or sad, whether they’re reading mysteries or recipes, and whether they feel “quick and smart” or “contained and cautious.” Robinson’s vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in and textures and patterns in every image, effectively capture the protagonist’s passion for reading and appreciation for a space where they feel accepted regardless of disposition. In her author’s note, Giovanni states that she spent summers visiting her grandmother in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she went to the Carnegie Branch of the Lawson McGhee Library. She expresses gratitude for Mrs. Long, the librarian, who often traveled to the main library to get books that Giovanni could not find in their segregated branch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-358-38765-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Versify/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
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