A serene, familiar fable.
A green umbrella is boat, castle, and sentient object in the life of a little girl.
One day, shopping for some rain boots, a little White girl with blond hair pleads with her mother to buy her a large green umbrella as well. Whether by magic or by coincidence, the sun comes out whenever the umbrella opens, setting the stage for childlike adventure. The umbrella, which has feelings of its own, becomes a castle wall, a parachute, and a boat. Lintern’s renderings include portrayals of mice with swords, and while the umbrella carries the girl on an imaginary ocean, it retains its form. Life goes on, and “the young girl loved the green umbrella, and it was happy.” Eventually, the girl is too big, and she puts the umbrella away in a cluttered closet—where a boy finds it. The boy, who is White, uses it to play swords and forts until he too grows up. The umbrella is stowed until it has a rather dull day with an adult. The message that creativity is restricted to children is a little simplistic–surely there is room for imagination in adulthood? Less bleak than Silverstein’s The Giving Tree, there’s also less to chew on. The vintage crosshatched pen style and delicate drawings feel like a throwback to earlier decades of children’s literature. This low-key, peaceful story of aging and continuity will primarily provide nostalgic comfort.
A serene, familiar fable.Pub Date: Jan. 5, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-977248-22-0
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Outskirts Press
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Warm but underdone.
In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.
Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781250776990
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
Sky-based pyrotechnics make for a fun if somewhat confusing telling.
In this collaboration between sci-fi novelist Sanderson and Amulet creator Kibuishi, an unreliable narrator informs readers that here be no dragons.
“A boy sat in a chair.” The book opens on a bespectacled, light-skinned child in old-fashioned attire. The narration continues, “That’s it. He just sat in a chair,” while on the opposite page, the boy’s chair has unexpectedly whisked him heavenward. The narrator attempts to convince readers that just sitting in a chair is boring. As the story continues, however, the boy is attacked by an array of sky ruffians operating vessels; fight scenes and impressive explosions ensue. A dragon makes an appearance as the narrator drones on about how dull the story is. Kibuishi’s detailed cartoon images depict an enticing steampunk-esque world. Adults reading this book to kids might want to read the text first without the pictures; on a second run they can show off the images, neatly illustrating the important interplay of text and visuals in sequential art. Unfortunately, for all that the illustrations maintain the action at a fair clip, near the end the plot grows muddled as the boy gets out of his chair but then tumbles to the ground: Was he falling and then trying to stop himself? Some adult intervention may be required to clarify what precisely is happening on the page.
Sky-based pyrotechnics make for a fun if somewhat confusing telling. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781250843661
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
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