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WHAT'S THE RUSH?

Name: WHAT'S THE RUSH?
Author: Yiting Lee
ISBN: 978-1-64896-183-0

by Yiting Lee ; illustrated by Yiting Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 18, 2022

Take the time to enjoy this one.

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It pays to be prepared.

Friends Turtle and Bunny are having tea one lovely afternoon when Turtle proclaims his wish to climb the nearby mountain. Having heard this all before, Bunny suggests they leave tomorrow. The next morning, Bunny shows up at Turtle’s door, but Turtle needs “just one minute” to finish up a myriad of tasks, none seeming to relate to their planned activity. Bunny finally becomes impatient and won’t allow for any more wasted minutes. The two set off toward their goal but encounter a few obstacles along the way: They need to cross a river, and luckily Turtle has an inflatable raft in his rather large backpack; they need to get through tangled bushes, so Turtle pulls out some garden clippers. Even when they make it to the top of the mountain and Bunny’s stomach grumbles, Turtle is ready with a lunchbox full of food. Turtle decides his next goal will be to go to the moon “one day,” but he dismisses Bunny’s suggestion of tomorrow with “What’s the rush?” This charming journey tale hints at both the need to take action and the importance of careful planning, striking a balance. Using expressive, organic lines, Lee’s watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations are fanciful and alternate between panels and full-page spreads. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Take the time to enjoy this one. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 18, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-64896-183-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press

Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE QUIET ONE
by Yiting Lee ; illustrated by Yiting Lee

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

by Sybil Rosen ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

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A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.

Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: March 16, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random

Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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THE COOL BEAN MAKES A SPLASH

From the I Can Read! series

by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.

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The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.

Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)