Big grief in a small package shows us a complicated sort of healing.
An illustrated love letter to a lost loved one.
On a snowy day, young Charlie is solemnly reminiscing about big sibling Benjamin until Daddy suggests that the young narrator make a list of things about Benjamin: “My top favorite things to do with you.” Watercolor, gouache, and colored pencil illustrations depict memories of the two smiling brown siblings—one tall, with cornrows and long, protective, curvy arms, the other smaller, wide-eyed, with short locs. Musical notes, flowers, and a football flow behind them. Charlie’s list is a long one that ranges from pickling vegetables to watching dolphins; it also includes “carousels / and bumper cars / and funnel cakes.” Benjamin’s absence is felt by Mommy and Daddy and even the piano, according to Charlie, who remembers the good times but visibly struggles today. As Charlie reflects on the pool game Marco Polo, the illustrations heartbreakingly show the child searching for a sibling who can no longer be found beneath the bed or in the bathroom. Both readers and Charlie are left to wonder, “Where did you go, Benjamin?” Though there isn’t a clear answer, the focus on the warm, flowery, exciting, and loving memories is as effective as it is bittersweet.
Big grief in a small package shows us a complicated sort of healing. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 19, 2023
ISBN: 9781419757273
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Oct. 7, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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