A sweet adoption tale.
A fox unexpectedly becomes an adoptive parent in this charming book about what babies need.
On a final warm day on the Arctic tundra, the animals are enjoying the weather, sunbathing, planning a hike, etc. Aput, a fox, is watching the geese fly away. But what’s this? They’ve forgotten something: an egg that hatches in his hands. “Daddy Honk Honk!” Aput tries to convince the little tyke that he is not Daddy, but to no avail. The two set off to try to find the gosling a family, but gradually the search becomes both a series of lessons in what a baby needs as well as the bonding of a new family. The lemmings provide a hat to keep the goose warm. A hare gives some food to help it grow. A grouchy, yoga-practicing polar bear suggests a nap for the rambunctious goose. And by the time Aput panics about the gosling’s safety while swimming, it’s clear that he is indeed Daddy. That night, Aput’s friends arrive with a final necessary ingredient, and the community bonds over its newest addition. Appealingly simple cartoon India ink, watercolor, and Photoship illustrations give readers a basic idea of the flora and fauna of the Arctic, but the focus is on the developing relationship between father and child; the fox’s expression when the egg hatches is absolutely priceless and worth the cover price alone.
A sweet adoption tale. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 9, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-18676-9
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
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
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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