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ALL BY HIMSELF?

Name: ALL BY HIMSELF?
Author: Elana K. Arnold
ISBN: 978-1-5344-8989-9

by Elana K. Arnold ; illustrated by Giselle Potter ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2022

A missed attempt that leaves readers feeling flat.

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When we help one another, we help the world go round.

The cover image offers a clue to the story within—hands of various skin tones holding blocks painted in primary colors. This foreshadowing continues throughout the text and the artwork, unfolding a temporal and geographical chain that connects a light-skinned boy who builds a tower of blocks (“all by himself!”) to the actions of the people who came before him: the light-skinned farmer who planted a seedling that became a tree, the brown-skinned arborist who tended the tree, the light-skinned woodcutter who felled the tree, the light-skinned woodworker who carved blocks from the wood, the brown-skinned artist who painted the blocks made from the wood of that tree, and so forth. People of all backgrounds do work to contribute to a thriving society—rather a heady theme for such a young picture book, though if caregivers or educators focus more on the lesson of how blocks are made, children may find it more appealing. The tale is conveyed in rhythmic language—reminiscent of “The House That Jack Built”—and watercolor-and-ink illustrations in an earth-toned palette in Potter’s signature style. Deep greens, browns, and oranges punctuated by bright blues and reds connect one spread to another, though in rather repetitive perspectives that likely won’t resonate with children, and depictions of people feel stilted. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A missed attempt that leaves readers feeling flat. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5344-8989-9

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

- BOOK REVIEW
HARRIET TELLS THE TRUTH
by Elana K. Arnold ; illustrated by Dung Ho

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THE FISH OF SMALL WISHES
by Elana K. Arnold ; illustrated by Magdalena Mora

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BLOOD YEARS
by Elana K. Arnold

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

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A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)