An unromanticized friendship story that manages to be both affecting and amusing.
Kang and Weyant’s You Are (Not) Small series is the slightly off-kilter gift that keeps on giving.
This time, the diverting duo of fuzzy cryptids are excited because it’s Give-a-Gift Day. At a flea market with carnival-esque booths, each of them attempts to find the perfect gift for the other. They are both in search of a present that’s “COOL and FUN and BIG and ‘WOW’!” They consider music boxes, alien plushies, musical instruments that emit soap bubbles, and more—but none of the items feels special enough. So, they knit, garden, bake, paint, and even attempt carpentry and skywriting, but it all leads to a meltdown: “THIS IS NOT ENOUGH!” When the pair eventually resign themselves to the simplest of handmade gifts that are “one of a kind” and “from the heart,” they are surprised to discover that their offerings aren’t only “more than enough”—they are “everything.” The protagonists and their other cryptid friends are visually intriguing; one of them looks like a cross between a poodle and a dinosaur. The cartoony, cut-out illustrations, rendered in ink and watercolor with brush pens, appear against ample white space, inviting readers to focus squarely on the characters and their emotions. The plot twist on the final page, meant to be amusing, is a tone mismatch but is easily forgotten.
An unromanticized friendship story that manages to be both affecting and amusing. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-1851-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.
What can you do when things go wrong?
Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
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