A cute take on the immigrant experience that will appeal to young readers who themselves feel different.
Like many immigrants, Chee-Kee Loo the panda feels out of place when he first moves to Bearland with his family.
Drawing from her parents’ own experiences moving from South Korea to the United States, Rim recounts an abridged version of the often told immigration story. Even though the bears in Bearland are welcoming and friendly, little Chee-Kee can’t “help noticing that he was just so…different” and feels he “won’t ever fit in.” In this new place, bears use forks, but Chee-Kee uses chopsticks or eats with his hands; sunglasses are the norm, but he wears a conical sun hat; kites are diamond-shaped, but his is rectangular. Mr. and Mrs. Loo, on the other hand, make the best of the situation. When a little bear cub tells them, “You look funny!” Mrs. Loo replies, “Oh, thank you. You look funny too! How lovely.” One day, Chee-Kee is sitting in his favorite tree when some local bears get themselves into a fix. Chee-Kee springs into action. He realizes that because he’s different, he’s able to save the day. Channeling Japanese sumi-e ink painting and Chinese brush painting in combination with other mixed media, Rim reproduces the energetic, quirky style of her Birdie books. She creates a whimsical world where bears in every shape, color, and size live happily together.
A cute take on the immigrant experience that will appeal to young readers who themselves feel different. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-40744-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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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