Beneath this deceptively simple tale of ancient reptilian family life lies a story of surprising complexity and contemporary...
A dinosaur in the throes of an identity crisis grapples with questions of nature vs. nurture in this moving tale of unconditional familial love.
Gentle, vegetarian mother Maiasaura tenderly nurtures both her own egg and one she stumbled across in the forest. Startled when it hatches to reveal a T. Rex and fearing the trouble that will come when the baby grows up, she at first attempts to abandon the infant, only to melt when he calls out plaintively to her. Naming her carnivorous adoptee Heart in an attempt to cultivate his softer side, she raises the two as brothers. While out searching for berries, Heart one day encounters an adult T. Rex who forces him both to face the shocking truth of his origins and to make a decision about his future. Which matters more: his biology or the ways of the only family he has ever known? How will Heart reconcile the seemingly irreconcilable? Miyanishi’s simple illustrations, predominantly in yellow and green with thick black outline, effectively convey a range of emotions, including grief, longing, remorse, and affection. Readers of all ages will be able to engage with this book with varying degrees of insight.
Beneath this deceptively simple tale of ancient reptilian family life lies a story of surprising complexity and contemporary relevance. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-940842-17-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Museyon
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 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 good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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