Writing in a series of tanka poems, Weston addresses the difficulty of moving to a new country and the loss of a loved one...
A Japanese girl’s beloved cherry blossoms become a metaphor for the ephemerality of life when her grandmother passes away, her memory still abloom even across the sea in America.
Sakura, whose name means cherry blossom, loves to picnic with her obaachan under the cherry tree. Together they tell stories and eat bento lunches. But when Sakura moves from Japan to the United States, everything becomes unfamiliar—the house, the trees, the school, and the language, whose words “nipped and snapped on her tongue like the tang of pickled plums.” With the help of a new, white friend, Sakura slowly adjusts, until she loses her grandmother and is thrown into grief. When spring arrives and their city’s riverfront is covered in cherry blossoms, Sakura finds herself full of memories and love for her obaachan as she picnics with new friends under the cherry trees. Digital illustrations showcase interesting compositions and good design sensibilities, and Saburi has a unique way of rendering the world. However, the color palette is muddied. The heavy use of complementary colors leads to a muddiness in value and a less appealing environment. Nevertheless, there’s an earnestness that comes from the words and art as Sakura’s tale of intergenerational love shines through.
Writing in a series of tanka poems, Weston addresses the difficulty of moving to a new country and the loss of a loved one with warmth and compassion. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-101-91874-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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