A sweet and satisfying book about a vacation that goes wrong before it goes right.
Raj the tiger cub and Dad are going camping.
Raj has read lots of books about camping and knows just what to expect: meals cooked on a camp stove, nights spent in a tent, days spent hiking mountains, and—maybe if they’re lucky—a ride in a canoe. Raj is convinced that this is going to be the best vacation ever. But when the tigers finally reach the campsite, things don’t go quite as expected. Raj’s father has a hard time putting up the tent in the evening and lighting the camp stove for breakfast. When they go on a mountain hike together, the tigers run out of water. The tigers camp near a bear family who all seem to be experienced campers, but Raj’s father constantly turns down their offers of help—at least until the tigers end up taking a wrong turn down the river. Despite all the difficulties they face, Raj is still convinced that their camping trip is the best vacation ever. Braun balances both child-friendly and adult-friendly humor, making it a pleasure for adults and children to read together. The illustrations are teeming with movement, life, and detail, and they are sure to delight children who are close observers. Although the father tiger’s inability to accept help from the bear family feels like a strangely adult conflict in what ought to be a child-centered book, generally the story is entertaining to read. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.4-by-17.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 55.1% of actual size.)
A sweet and satisfying book about a vacation that goes wrong before it goes right. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 30, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1705-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
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 delightfully silly celebration of familial love.
A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.
In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1236-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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