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ZANDI'S SONG

Name: ZANDI'S SONG
Author: Zandile Ndhlovu
ISBN: 9781662520105

by Zandile Ndhlovu ; illustrated by Katlego Keokgale ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024

A stirring celebration of our connection to—and responsibility for—the natural world.

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South Africa’s first Black female free-diving instructor tells the story of a Black South African girl called to the ocean to become a mermaid.

“Your life is here.” “This is your home.” Whispers rush past Zandi’s window. At first, she’s scared, since she’s not a strong swimmer, but the ocean, personified as an aqua-blue deity named Maya, promises her no harm. Maya gives Zandi the gift of glittering mermaid fins to help her swim and a beaded bracelet to remind her of her heritage and allow her to return home. Zandi’s short Afro transforms into long flowing blue braids that evoke the memory of women in her family. Maya reminds Zandi of her grandmother’s warning not to throw garbage into the river. Maya has chosen Zandi to help protect the water and gives her a tour of the sea and its wonders. She tells Zandi that she must learn to understand the song of the ocean, shows her the impacts of pollution on the sea, and teaches her about the historical relationship between her people and the whales. Zandi returns home with a new song to spread throughout her community. Vibrant illustrations use color nicely. A close-up of Zandi’s bare feet in the sparkling blue water contrasts effectively with muted scenes depicting the effects of pollution. The encouraging text will empower many children to care for the environment.

A stirring celebration of our connection to—and responsibility for—the natural world. (author’s note, resources for ocean conservation) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 26, 2024

ISBN: 9781662520105

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Amazon Crossing Kids

Review Posted Online: Jan. 5, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

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FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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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)