As special as can be.
A father spends quality time with his son.
On a snowy school night, a child narrator is picked up from his mom’s place. Daddy is there with his old, rusty car and telltale frayed black knit cap (“his crown”). The duo hop in the car together and head to Grandma’s house. The slightly somber car ride introduces some familial tension (“Don’t matter what he did or didn’t do. Daddy just got hit hard”), but the child focuses on love. After all, “Daddy always gives good. He always protects your feelings.” In Daddy’s room at Grandma’s, they construct model planes. It’s quiet at first, but soon the room is filled with laughter. Their precious time together comes to an end, but before dropping the child back at his mom’s, Daddy, noticing that the boy doesn’t have a hat, gives him his own cap—a tangible reminder of Daddy’s loving, generous spirit. Boyd beautifully depicts a father-son relationship weathering the difficulty of parental separation. Appropriately vague text immerses readers in the perspective of a child who lacks the full vocabulary to understand the situation. The cold tones outside of Daddy’s room contrast with the warmth inside to create a cozy, loving feeling when they share space together. The textural, photorealistic art style adds a richness to the double-page spreads. Like Boyd and his child in the author photo, Daddy has brown skin, while the child is lighter-skinned.
As special as can be. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780807529126
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2024
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
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
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