Some joyless adults will object to the “stinky baby” theme, but lots of kids will find the mischievous mayhem a refreshing...
Six-year-old Joy has a less-than-joyful attitude at Christmas due to her boisterous baby brother, Sam.
The text intersperses rhyming couplets with the familiar structure of the often-parodied Christmas song, but instead of a partridge in a pear tree, the repeated conclusion here is “a stinky baby messing with the tree.” Little Sam, who clearly needs more adult supervision, wreaks havoc on Joy’s Christmas decorations and activities, ripping open her wrapped gifts, eating the heads off her gingerbread men and snapping the wings off her beloved treetop angel. Joy huffs off to bed in a snit on Christmas Eve, but Christmas morning brings a happy resolution: All the broken items have been mended (where possible), and Sam says his first word, “Joy.” Computer-generated illustrations have moody, glowing lighting suited to Joy’s mercurial emotions, and creative use of swirling lines and jagged edges indicate the out-of-control nature of the household. Joy looks more like a teenager than a 6-year-old, and Sam is incredibly dexterous for his age, but the illustrations capture the bold baby’s impish transgressions with flair.
Some joyless adults will object to the “stinky baby” theme, but lots of kids will find the mischievous mayhem a refreshing alternative to sticky-sweet holiday stories. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-1-4197-0033-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2011
A warm and welcome story for emerging readers and their families.
Pumpkins star in this family-centered early reader.
Sketched in rhyming, easy-to-read couplets, this familiar autumn setting is made even warmer by the sweet family that is making a trip to the pumpkin farm. “Sunny day. Pack a lunch. / In the treetops squirrels munch.” So begins the story of a black mother and father and their young son and daughter. They find their special pumpkins and return home for carving, just in time for trick-or-treating. Mother and father are shown walking hand in hand or gently guiding their youngsters, who are very excited to pick out the perfect gourd. Read aloud, the predictable rhyme scans well, making this a book for emerging readers to read over and over, gaining confidence each time. The full-color illustrations, full of oranges and yellows, match the words, providing important visual cues. Little ones will laugh when the younger brother initially finds a huge pumpkin and rolls it over the hill like a bowling ball. “Thump! Thump! Thump! Then… / Uh-oh!” Eventually, he finds one just the right size for carving. Children of color are remarkably absent in the easy-reader stacks, so it’s an especially welcome treat to see them in this rural setting. Preschool and kindergarten teachers will want to add this to their collections.
A warm and welcome story for emerging readers and their families. (Early reader. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-553-51341-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 28, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2015
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Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day.
A collection of poems follows a group of elementary school students as they prepare for and celebrate Valentine’s Day.
One student starts the day by carefully choosing clothing in pink, purple, or red, while a family kicks off the morning with a breakfast of red, heart-shaped pancakes. At school, children create valentines until party time finally arrives with lots of yummy treats. The students give valentines to their school friends, of course, but we also see one child making a “special delivery” to a pet, a stuffed animal, family members, and even the crossing guard. The poems also extend the Valentine’s celebration to the community park, where other couples—some older, one that appears to be same-sex—are struck by cupid’s “magical love arrows.” Note the child running away: “Blech!” Not everyone wants to “end up in love!!!” But the spread devoted to Valentine’s jokes will please readers more interested in humor than in romance and inspire children to create their own jokes. To make the celebration complete, the last pages of the book contain stickers and a double-sided “BEE MINE!” valentine that readers can, with adult help, cut out. Cheery and kid-friendly, the poems can be read independently or from cover to cover as a full story. The cartoonish illustrations include lots of hearts and emphasize the growing Valentine’s Day excitement, depicting a diverse classroom that includes students who use wheelchairs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day. (Picture-book poetry. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-38717-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
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