A reassuring and warm tale of family connections.
Natalia and her mom are returning to Warsaw, Poland, to visit Natalia’s aunt and cousin Karolina.
Natalia feels uncertain, given her lack of confidence speaking Polish, and initially struggles to connect with Karolina. However, the two girls soon bond over a shared love of storytelling and mermaids as they stroll through the city. Karolina points out the statue of the Syrenka Warszawska, the Mermaid of Warsaw, who’s said to protect the city’s residents. Worried, Natalia asks if the mermaid will protect her, too (“I’m not really Polish,” she says, presumably because she lives elsewhere), but Karolina’s affirming response is a touching reminder that visits to a family’s country of origin can be an important, empowering experience. Poklewska-Kozietto highlights the beauty of Warsaw’s architecture and apartment living with incredible details such as beautiful wrought-iron balconies, houseplants, and fountains. The bright colors pop, especially when depicting a range of building types and varied textures. The characters are drawn with delightful rosy-circled cheeks; almost all are light-skinned, including Natalia and Karolina. Polish phrases are interspersed throughout with on-the-page phonetic pronunciations and English translations, making this an accessible text for non-Polish speakers. The backmatter includes useful and engaging information on Poland, its language, its landmarks, and its folklore. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A reassuring and warm tale of family connections. (author’s and illustrator’s notes) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9798888590041
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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