An artful blend of language, illustration, and science.
Spanning several eventful days, the story begins with “a kiss of air— / a soft breath, a phantom wisp,” escalates to a “hurricane [that] comes whirling,” and culminates as neighbors work to clean up after “winds calm down. / Stillness echoes through the town.” Carefully chosen words and a varied color palette emphasize each moment. An uncluttered illustration of a suburban street in clear pastel colors is paired with “Bend an ear to the breeze— / hear the scuffling, ruffling flutter— / leaves go scuttling in the gutter.” When the storm intensifies, a midnight-blue sea buffets the seaside town and supports the lines: “Now the windstorm whips and wails— / sucks at sand and billows sails. / Shut the doors! Stay inside. / A storm approaches! You must hide.” As the story progresses, the stanzas lengthen to describe the storm’s fury, a family sheltering at home, and a community rebuilding. When the story is complete, an author’s note explains the underlying structure of the poem. “Each stanza represents, in order, one of the thirteen categories of the Beaufort wind force scale.” Additional backmatter explains the scale’s origin and provides a detailed chart listing the wind speeds, sea effects, and land effects for each category in the scale. Illustrations show a diverse community of young families; all three members of the heteronormative focal family have pale skin and straight black hair.
An artful blend of language, illustration, and science. (glossary, suggested reading) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-8075-4561-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter.
A love letter to libraries.
A Black child, with hair in two puffballs tied with yellow ribbons, a blue dress with a Peter Pan collar, and black patent leather Mary Janes, helps Grandmother with the housework, then, at Grandmother’s suggestion, heads to the library. The child’s eagerness to go, with two books under an arm and one in their hand, suggests that this is a favorite destination. The books’ wordless covers emphasize their endless possibilities. The protagonist’s description of the library makes clear that they are always free to be themselves there—whether they feel happy or sad, whether they’re reading mysteries or recipes, and whether they feel “quick and smart” or “contained and cautious.” Robinson’s vibrant, carefully composed digital illustrations, with bright colors that invite readers in and textures and patterns in every image, effectively capture the protagonist’s passion for reading and appreciation for a space where they feel accepted regardless of disposition. In her author’s note, Giovanni states that she spent summers visiting her grandmother in Knoxville, Tennessee, where she went to the Carnegie Branch of the Lawson McGhee Library. She expresses gratitude for Mrs. Long, the librarian, who often traveled to the main library to get books that Giovanni could not find in their segregated branch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A lushly illustrated homage to librarians who provide a welcome and a home away from home for all who enter. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-358-38765-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Versify/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
SEEN & HEARD
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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