A delightful picture book about dressing—and acting—like a grown-up before your time.
Are you a kid who is ready to be a grown-up?
If so, this book is for you! According to the book’s narrator, the best way to be treated like an adult is to dress like one—and no outfit is more grown-up than a sari. In the following pages, the narrator instructs the protagonist—a plucky, dark-skinned kid with two short pigtails and an impish smile—on everything that must be done to successfully wear this traditional South Asian garment. First, the protagonist chooses the perfect piece of fabric: not too plain, not too fancy, and just sparkly enough. Next, the narrator leads the protagonist through the process of wearing a blouse and petticoat, wrapping the sari, pleating the skirt, and—perhaps most importantly—accessorizing with jewelry. Finally, the protagonist is dressed and ready to show the family this new grown-up persona. Unfortunately, while putting on a sari is a clear process, walking in a sari is not, and the protagonist’s grand entrance is not quite what was imagined. Told in second-person address, this cheerily illustrated picture book is a quirky and affectionate introduction to a typically South Asian rite of passage. The tongue-in-cheek text expertly balances humor with sincerity, and the protagonist’s antics—which are communicated mostly through the expertly paced illustrations—are hilarious. In addition to appealing to young readers, this book will ring true with South Asian adults who tried to fashion their own saris as children. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 36% of actual size.)
A delightful picture book about dressing—and acting—like a grown-up before your time. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: June 22, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-328-63520-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Versify/HMH
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
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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