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LEAN ON ME

Name: LEAN ON ME
Author: Bill Withers
ISBN: 9781636141091

A CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK

From the LyricPop series

by Bill Withers ; illustrated by Rachel Moss ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2023

A positive, inspirational message for children to lean on and into.

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Singer/songwriter Withers’ encouraging lyrics form the text of this upbeat picture book.

The late musician’s supportive song, released in 1972, is the backdrop to a story about a quartet of racially diverse young friends sharing various life experiences. The kids explore the outdoors, go camping, and share life events—some happy, some less so—occasionally with parents. The book makes clear that supportive friendship, or “leaning on,” is mutual: “Lean on me / When you’re not strong / And I’ll be your friend / I’ll help you carry on… / For it won’t be long / Till I’m gonna need / Somebody to lean on.” It’s clear everyone needs help now and then and that it isn’t a sign of weakness to reach out for assistance. As the book proceeds, the illustrations subtly depict the foursome becoming adolescents who still care about one another. The cartoonish artwork is colorful and lively, though undistinguished. The nature of song lyrics is there’s a repetitive element to them, so these important words and the overarching messages about support, outreach, and the permanency of friendships are easy to recall, absorb, and, hopefully, emulate. Readers eager to hear Withers’ uplifting song will be pleased by the inclusion of a QR code that allows them to listen to it on platforms such as Spotify or Tidal. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A positive, inspirational message for children to lean on and into. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023

ISBN: 9781636141091

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Akashic

Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
LOVELY DAY
by Bill Withers & Skip Scarborough ; illustrated by Olivia Duchess

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)