A beautiful story about cycles and traditions that shines a light on migration.
Like the monarch butterfly, Lucía’s father migrates according to the seasons, retracing the steps of his ancestors.
Springtime means a journey north for Papá and for the monarch butterflies that flit around their garden in Michoacán, Mexico. Soothing a tearful Lucía, Papá tells her he’ll return when the weather cools and their “winged ancestors” lead him home. This heartwarming story connects butterfly and human migration and shows how both are natural and part of deep-rooted life patterns. Monarch butterflies follow the same migratory route as previous generations; Lucía’s father, a migrant laborer, journeys north in search of work, following the harvests just as his ancestors did. Though Lucía stays behind, her life also follows the cycles of seasons. While her father is gone, she learns to weave ocoxal-leaf baskets from her mother and grandmother, using the same technique as previous generations. With autumn’s return comes Día de los Muertos, and Lucía welcomes back her father, along with the monarchs. The prose is simple yet elegant; the love between Lucía and her father reverberates deeply through subtle echoes such as the detail of the ocoxal hat Papá wears in the fields. The digitally finished watercolor, colored pencil, and crayon illustrations are richly textured and engrossing, with line- and brushstrokes enhancing the emotion. The characters have brown skin.
A beautiful story about cycles and traditions that shines a light on migration. (glossary, author’s note, how can we help?) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 27, 2024
ISBN: 9780593525760
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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