by Elvis Presley & illustrated by Tom Browning ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2003
Who would have thought that the King’s classic song could have made such a lovely read-aloud for children? The idea isn’t new: David Byrne’s Stay Up Late, illustrated by Maira Kalman (1989), and Bob Dylan’s Man Gave Names to All the Animals, illustrated by Scott Menchin (1999), are two brilliant examples of the genre. Browning’s (Santa’s Time Off, o.p.) full-bleed paintings, with beautifully loose and fluid brushwork and their sunlit colors, follow a girl and her dad through the seasons and a series of homespun activities. It is surprising how well the lyrics illuminate such: “You have made / my life complete, / And I love you so” is on a page where the child is learning to ride a bike before a white picket fence covered in red roses, Dad at the ready. “Love me tender, / love me true, / All my dreams / fulfill” finds Dad reading in a big armchair, lap full of book and daughter. “I’ll be yours / through all the years, / Till the end of time” is a gorgeous portrait of the girl at the front door, where the dog sits and a pumpkin waits. Dad is buttoning up her sweater, for her arms are full of schoolbooks. Cutting out Valentine hearts, picnicking in the woods, playing golf and croquet, learning to ski and ice-skate, having a bath or a birthday party, all are portrayed in the warm colors of sweetly old-fashioned affection and memory, some repeating as album snapshots on the opening and closing pages. The father and child are the only people in these images, intensifying the bond being celebrated. Includes a CD of Elvis singing, bringing his tender ballad to yet another generation. (Picture book. 3-7)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-06-027797-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2003
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by Sybil Rosen ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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by Chasten Buttigieg ; illustrated by Dan Taylor ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2025
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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