A charming introduction to a little-known organization.
Avi is the youngest ambulance in a Jerusalem garage filled with his family of emergency vehicles and human first responders of the Magen David Adom, Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross.
They have fun on this very rare snowy day, but they never forget their purpose. Humans Zach and Leah shovel the driveway, and Avi checks for ice. When they get a call about an accident on the highway, they are ready to roll. Avi, with the Star of David prominently painted on his sides, speeds up and down hills, until they can’t see through the quickly falling snow and they start to skid. They slow down and safely arrive at the scene of the accident, where they immediately take care of injuries. But they can’t transport the injured people to the hospital, because Avi’s wheels are spinning uselessly. Avi’s big-sister ambulance comes to the rescue with the snow chains that Avi forgot. Everyone gets to the hospital, and all is well. The authors accessibly spotlight the work of Magen David Adom for young readers while maintaining both accuracy and humor. Decker’s softly hued cartoons capture Avi’s earnestness and sweetness without diverting from the message of the good work of the organization. Following the story is an informative afterword and a detailed vocabulary list illustrated with photographs.
A charming introduction to a little-known organization. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68115-528-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
Fans of such characters as Big Nate and Stink will likely enjoy the silly humor and adventures in this series opener, while...
A humorous early chapter book featuring childish adventures, biblical concepts, and Christian life.
This outing is the first in the planned Dead Sea Squirrels series by the co-creator of Veggie Tales. As readers familiar with Veggie Tales might expect, there are elements of character-building and morality, Bible verses, and depictions of Christian life throughout this chapter book for elementary school children. Michael Gomez and his best friend, Justin, spend the summer with Michael’s archaeologist father at a dig on the shores of the Dead Sea, where Michael makes a “gross”—that is to say "cool”— discovery: two salt-withered, ancient squirrel bodies. The theme of the book—the commandment to honor thy father and mother—is illustrated by Michael’s disobedience to his father and his subsequent consequences and remorse. However, there is plenty of humor to tickle young readers, and the target audience will undoubtedly laugh out loud. Séguin-Magee’s many grayscale illustrations are appealingly cartoonish and funny. They depict presumably Latinx Dr. Gomez and Michael with brown skin, while Michael’s mother and Justin both present white. The book ends with a cliffhanger that will make readers happy sequel Boy Meets Squirrels publishes simultaneously.
Fans of such characters as Big Nate and Stink will likely enjoy the silly humor and adventures in this series opener, while many of their caregivers will appreciate the character-building lessons . (Fiction. 5-9)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4964-3498-2
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Tyndale House
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
An empowering and important tale of bravery.
A Black Muslim boy must summon the courage to ask for a place at school to pray.
It’s Muhammad’s seventh birthday, and Daddy has a special gift for him: a prayer rug that’s royal blue with gold stitching and that smells of incense. Muhammad is now old enough to independently offer the five Muslim daily prayers, or salat. He packs the rug before school the next day and plans to find a private place for salat. But asking his teacher for help feels harder than anticipated—especially after seeing mean passersby jeer at his father, who prays in the open while working as an ice cream truck driver. To claim a space, Muhammad will need to be brave, just like his joyful, hardworking Daddy. Once again, Thompkins-Bigelow (Mommy’s Khimar, 2018) has written a beautiful, positive, and welcome portrayal of Black Muslim families. Her melodic writing captures Muhammad’s feelings as he works to find his voice and advocate for his needs. Aly’s playful, energetic illustrations offer a nod to Islamic art traditions and work in tandem with the text to give readers a glimpse into Muhammad’s hopes, fears, and growth. An author’s note explains what salat is, the times and names of the prayers, how it is performed, and other relevant terms used within the text. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An empowering and important tale of bravery. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 6, 2023
ISBN: 9781984848093
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
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