A celebration of familial warmth and the rewards of maturing sibling relationships.
A young girl discovers the value of mentoring her tag-along little sister in Gardella’s picture book.
Kids and grandmas having fun together are a favorite picture book subject; that’s what’s going on here, as two girls help their jovial grandmother can tomatoes. The author, however, neatly weaves the specifics of tomato canning into a deeper theme: the changing dynamic between a young girl and her little sister. At first, the book’s nameless narrator, who has been her grandma’s only helper at canning time, is dismayed when grandma insists that she bring little sister, Monica, along to help. (“‘She’s too little,’ I complain”). With subtle encouragement from Grandma (a wink of understanding here, a shared giggle there), the narrator (who has fair skin and brown hair) realizes how enjoyable it is to see the experience fresh through Monica’s wide eyes and to offer her guidance and encouragement. The author states that most of her books are inspired by her many years of ranch life—her entertaining description of the canning process, from picking the tomatoes to labeling the jars, is certainly meticulous enough to feel firsthand. The warmth in the text is well matched by Donnelly’s full-color, painterly illustrations that give the well-defined characters life on the page.
A celebration of familial warmth and the rewards of maturing sibling relationships.Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781959412106
Page Count: 38
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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