Refreshingly simple, humorous, and playful.
Young Eleanor Sue loves to play dress-up on Saturdays, and her mother plays along perfectly.
Dark type in a large font proclaims against the faded gold wallpaper of a room filled with clothes: “Today is Saturday, Eleanor Sue’s favorite day to do her favorite thing—play dress-up.” The little girl is wearing an olive-green dress and appears ready to add still more brush strokes to a ridiculously large, bouffant hairdo. She leaves through her bedroom window, grabbing a garden gnome on the way, and appears at the front door. She introduces herself as Mrs. McMuffins, a new neighbor, and then spouts off an absurd list of problems she’s identified in her new neighborhood. Eleanor Sue’s mother offers tea and listens, straight-faced, to such absurdities as how the sun in the window forces Mrs. McMuffins to wear sunglasses at nap time, and how her eyebrows hurt. Tusa’s trademark pen-and-ink drawings with watercolor washes complement the lighthearted mood of the text. Each of Eleanor Sue’s quick changes—which include a witch, a wizard, a bear, and more—leads to another funny conversation with her mother, along with plenty of exciting vocabulary (“prosperous,” “ferocious,” “centaur,” “equator”) and imaginative ideas. There is also a good deal of humorous action between that bedroom window and the front door. For example, how fast can a “cat” change into another costume and back again? The ending is unexpected—and equal in caliber to the entire book’s warmth and whimsy. Both Eleanor Sue and her mother present white.
Refreshingly simple, humorous, and playful. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-250-14323-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Neal Porter/Roaring Brook
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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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