A cute but not entirely satisfying meditation.
In this Chinese import, a green pencil stuck in a desk drawer at an elementary school dreams about having adventures that will take it far away, to a place where no one will know who (or what) it is.
The pencil fantasizes about standing in a meadow, watering its “top” such that it sprouts leaves and even a flower; the butterflies and bear who enjoy the flower don’t recognize the cleverly disguised pencil. Next, the pencil dreams about making itself a leafy umbrella for fish to hide beneath and a frog to sit upon. The pencil then considers pretending to be vegetables, like peas and even a zucchini. It imagines itself as a raft, a paddle, and sporting equipment. Finally, the pencil dreams of making its way back into the classroom so that (child) readers can use it to write down their own dreams and fantasies. Narrated in the first person and addressing readers directly, Zhang’s narrative is cheerful, and his partial use of rhyming words suits this nicely to reading aloud, although the plot itself is not particularly original. Cao’s bright and clever illustrations seamlessly connect the narrative, building upon the frames that have come before and carrying the story forward. Occasional details delight: The pencil acts as crossing guard for a line of ants bearing tomatoes on their backs. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.375-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 73% of actual size.)
A cute but not entirely satisfying meditation. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4788-6846-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Reycraft Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Readers will delight in discovering the joyous time pumpkins have when it’s Halloween.
Magical moonbeams awaken a pumpkin patch to raucous Halloween-season revelry.
A moonbeam illuminates and energizes a smiley-faced pumpkin sitting alone on a stair; it promptly takes off to find a friend with whom to have a good time. An entire pumpkin patch, also sparked by the magical moon, instantly comes alive. And what merriment all the grinning gourds get up to! Their playful shenanigans include piling high on top of one another, bouncing on a trampoline, dancing, marching, and drumming, wearing costumes, and competing in games. They even engage in activities usually reserved for other holiday-themed icons—flying on brooms and making magic, for instance. As dawn approaches, the pumpkin leader escorts the cavalcade back home. At sunrise, each one takes up residence on a different house’s front porch and awaits that evening’s moonbeams to work their magic again. Liveliness and good cheer abound in this frisky rhyming tale in which the perennial holiday symbols naturally take center stage. Perky couplets that read and scan very well appear on most pages and are accompanied by energetic, expressive illustrations that highlight vivid oranges, yellows, blues, purples, and greens with touches of other bright shades.
Readers will delight in discovering the joyous time pumpkins have when it’s Halloween. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-56332-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
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