A supportive grandparent is a joy; a pushy grandma is not, and readers may not wish to spend much time with this one.
A grandmother dog supports her grandchild in many sports and school activities, pushing the pup to achieve greater results and future fame.
Nana is an old-fashioned grandmother dog with a curly, gray topknot, glasses, plaid skirts, and sensible shoes. However, her attitude as a pushy-parent stand-in embodies the worst modern-day aspects of poor sportsmanship and sideline second-guessing of coaches, umpires, and teachers. She inserts herself on the team bench at a swim meet in order to ensure her grandchild is first in line to compete, gives the football coach unsolicited tips on plays, and interrupts a band concert by dancing in the aisle. At a baseball game, Nana screams at the umpire that he needs to get his eyes checked. When Nana breaks her ankle after a fall, her grandchild helps her in many kind, loving ways, with a final page showing the pup on Nana’s lap as her biggest fan. Nana is presented in the first-person narration by the young dog as a competitive character who “always has to win,” even at card games with her devoted grandchild. There are no consequences for her poor behavior other than glaring looks from other parents, and Nana doesn’t change her ways even when she is reminded of the posted rules of good sportsmanship. Humorous, cartoon-style illustrations with a cast of dogs and cats add some exuberance with lots of motion and clever details.
A supportive grandparent is a joy; a pushy grandma is not, and readers may not wish to spend much time with this one. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9560-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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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