A splendidly illustrated picture book that misses the emotional mark.
It’s almost Holi, the Hindu festival of colors, and Gauri can hardly wait.
Gauri’s family announces that, this year, each family member will make their own gulal—or colored powder—out of natural ingredients. Gauri’s father, mother, grandmother, grandfather, and brother choose a slip of paper from a bowl to determine which color they will be assigned. When Gauri closes her eyes to pick her paper, she becomes, unlike the rest of her family, furious: instead of yellow, which is what she longed for, she ends up with red. While everyone else in Gauri’s household gets busy using vegetables, herbs, and spices to create their assigned colors, Gauri stomps around the house and yard feeling upset. She is determined not to participate until her grandfather recounts one of the stories behind Holi, which is about a demoness who unsuccessfully tries to wield the fire of her anger against her nephew, Prahlada. On hearing the story, Gauri wonders whom her rage serves and whether she has the strength to let go of the “anger in her heart.” The book’s illustrations are beautifully textured and artfully designed. While the text’s underlying message is well intentioned, the author’s choice to frame Gauri’s overwhelming emotion as anger, rather than jealousy, makes the story read more like a misplaced condemnation of South Asian girls’ rage than a story about mindfulness.
A splendidly illustrated picture book that misses the emotional mark. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8075-3357-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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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