“Hello” to an effervescent take on early childhood’s fascination with the world.
A child greets the world and everything in it.
Young children understand that there are many fascinating things to say hello to everywhere. The world’s wonders deserve their due. Even when a loving parent is taking you to storytime, you don’t want to rush when there are sights and sounds to greet. So it goes for the leisurely tyke in this colorful, bouncy rhyming story, narrated by the child. The parent suggests that the pair hurry, but the little one is determined to salute everything they encounter. Beginning at home, the kid welcomes the day itself, then an apple, easily reachable from the shelf, then a pair of boots—which the little one dons independently. “Hello” to neighbors, then to various outdoor urban critters, vehicles, and cacophonous street sounds. The kid’s got to say hello to the “holes” in the sewer while “plinking” rocks into them! So what if the two of them miss the bus? Finally—the library, but hello, no food or drink inside. They sit outside as the child finishes the apple, and the adult spies something magical inside the fruit—and HELLO!—thanks to a playground detour, the parent finally appreciates the world from the tot’s perspective. This charming tale is enlivened by ebullient ink and crayon illustrations; young ones will relate and say “hello” to this one pronto. Characters have fanciful skin tones; the protagonists are depicted with hues of yellow.
“Hello” to an effervescent take on early childhood’s fascination with the world. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 16, 2024
ISBN: 9781419768132
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
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
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