Clever, immersive fun.
The tale of a wild imagination put to good use.
Sam, a Black boy whose Momma says he has “ants in his pants,” can’t be still. It’s time for his afternoon nap, but Sam is uninterested. Although he yells “NOOO!” he goes to his room, shuts the door…and opens his favorite book, African Wildlife, which features a lion on the cover. Immediately, a herd of gazelles jumps out and bounds around his room, followed by a pride of lions, a zeal of zebras, and several other groups of animals. Each zoological collection makes a sound that provides great fodder for interactive read-alouds. Observant readers will notice that Sam’s drawings on the wall of his room and his stuffed animals resemble those that have emerged from the book. Like Maurice Sendak’s Max, Sam isn’t intimidated by wild things—he even dances with the leap of leopards. He also attempts to retrieve his shoes from the crash of rhinos, which find his soles quite tasty. The loudest growl of all—from Sam’s tummy—gets everyone’s attention and leads to a satisfying ending. Throughout this lively picture book, readers will learn many collective nouns for animals and even a few facts. Kordesh’s whimsical illustrations, rendered in watercolor and ink, make the animals that could be frightening humorous and entertaining. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Clever, immersive fun. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: June 20, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56460-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Anne Schwartz/Random
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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