New big siblings will get a kick out of this—as will first-time parents.
A knowledgeable narrator describes the challenges of coming into the world, surviving your first years, and beginning to grow up.
The many babies depicted here in detailed multimedia illustrations are healthy, plump, and very well loved. They and their families are diverse in terms of race; some infants belong to same-sex couples. The narrator addresses the babies directly, detailing their lives in utero: “You just kicked your feet! Turned somersaults! Partied! And you got to be naked, which is the best!” Birth brought with it a host of problems: “You have to tell these people everything. When you’re hot. When you’re hungry.” The humorously authoritative voice continues: “But hang in there, babies. Good things are coming.” The babies will discover their hands and feet, they’ll start sleeping through the night, and they’ll learn to crawl and walk. There’s a bit of a surprise ending when the narrator is revealed. (Some readers may have even noticed the speaker lurking on earlier pages.) The illustrations depict harried grown-ups attending to these new arrivals. One especially amusing image shows a parent trying to hold a baby amid a chaotic plumbing situation; on another spread, parents struggle to get a stroller safely down the subway steps. Adults and many preschoolers will certainly smile with recognition at the experiences portrayed, though the book is a bit too sophisticated for babies themselves.
New big siblings will get a kick out of this—as will first-time parents. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2024
ISBN: 9781419767333
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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 delightfully silly celebration of familial love.
A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.
In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1236-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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