An amiable story of a joyful child.
Sullivan’s illustrated, rhyming children’s book tells the story of a young girl thoroughly enjoying her everyday life.
As this story opens, Lilah wonders how to spend her time, as “There are so many things I can do with my day.” She knows she must start with a good breakfast of her favorite foods: yogurt and fruit. Afterward, Lilah catches a butterfly in her mother’s garden, and her kindness toward the insect shines: “ ‘You’re so beautiful,’ she said, ‘but I’m setting you free. You belong to everyone, that’s the way it should be.’ ” Lilah plays hopscotch, pretends to be a ballerina, plays T-ball, flies a kite, and teases her dog by pretending to throw a ball while playing fetch: “ ‘I have it right here!’ she said, ‘I didn’t throw it!’ Then she giggled and laughed because the dog didn’t know it.” Eventually, her day winds down. She tries to work on a jigsaw puzzle but begins to fall asleep; she goes to bed and dreams about her day, looking forward to tomorrow and thinking “it’s great to be alive!” Over the course of this tale, Sullivan presents simple text with easy rhymes. It is a story that is certain to appeal to an audience of young readers, with sentiments that are consistently joyful and uplifting in tone. Lilah’s adventures may inspire readers to also enjoy the simple things in life to the fullest. Watson’s cartoon illustrations are simple, fun, and colorful; Lilah is depicted with bright-yellow skin, a pink nose, and orange-flushed cheeks. Watson’s images support the events of the text nicely; a two-page illustration of Lilah running through the sprinkler is particularly notable.
An amiable story of a joyful child.Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2022
ISBN: 9781639886111
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Atmosphere Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 23, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter.
A love letter to libraries.
A Black child, with hair in two puffballs tied with yellow ribbons, a blue dress with a Peter Pan collar, and black patent leather Mary Janes, helps Grandmother with the housework, then, at Grandmother’s suggestion, heads to the library. The child’s eagerness to go, with two books under an arm and one in their hand, suggests that this is a favorite destination. The books’ wordless covers emphasize their endless possibilities. The protagonist’s description of the library makes clear that they are always free to be themselves there—whether they feel happy or sad, whether they’re reading mysteries or recipes, and whether they feel “quick and smart” or “contained and cautious.” Robinson’s vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in and textures and patterns in every image, effectively capture the protagonist’s passion for reading and appreciation for a space where they feel accepted regardless of disposition. In her author’s note, Giovanni states that she spent summers visiting her grandmother in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she went to the Carnegie Branch of the Lawson McGhee Library. She expresses gratitude for Mrs. Long, the librarian, who often traveled to the main library to get books that Giovanni could not find in their segregated branch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-358-38765-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Versify/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
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