Sweet and well intentioned but misses the mark.
When Meena goes to visit her grandfather in his South Asian village, she is followed by her “hurly-burly hullabaloo”—an imaginary being that incites Meena to create chaos wherever she goes.
Meena and her hullabaloo (depicted as a wispy-edged, blue-green blob with striped arms and legs) try to calm down by doing yoga with Dada. But no matter how hard she works to hold tree pose, Meena can’t seem to stop her throat from singing or her legs and toes from wiggling and waggling. On the beach, Meena and the hullabaloo wreak havoc, tangling the fishermen’s nets and splashing everyone with a huge wave. Before long, the villagers can’t take it anymore, and they scold Meena before Dada placates them. Meena is saddened by this anger but is unsure what to do. Then her Dada introduces her to his very own hullabaloo (who’s very similar to Meena’s, except it’s white, like Dada’s hair). Meena now feels less alone and is ultimately able to force her hullaballoo into a state of calm. The book’s bright and busy illustrations pulse with life, and the text is simple, clear, and easy to read. While the mindfulness message is a positive one, in practice, this is essentially a story about a girl being punished for being loud and full of life: Meena’s transformation is sparked by the villagers’ anger at her being her loud, unadulterated self, and her triumphant self-control comes at the expense of her expansive personality.
Sweet and well intentioned but misses the mark. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-64567-286-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Page Street
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
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
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
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