Readers with a tolerance for ambiguity will find much to savor.
After dreaming about “his papá, who ha[s] sailed away on the open sea,” young Kiki wakes up to the sound of a mysterious song floating in through his bedroom window.
Drawn by the music, Kiki makes his way to the beach to discover a white-haired woman gathering stones, disappearing into the ocean at the sight of him. Kiki runs in to tell his abuela what he saw, prompting her to share her own story of meeting the strange woman as a young girl. Abuela was gifted some stones by the white-haired woman, and she credits them with saving her sick mother. This gets Kiki thinking. Maybe the Lady of the Stones could help him bring his papá home? Pérez Díaz’s story has a strong folkloric feel to it, and there are some lovely turns of phrase: “Flying fish, shining with foam, danced on the waves.” The illustrations help shape the feel of magic, with their vibrant colors and patterns and whimsical, surreal touches. As with the text, the small details are what stand out. Fish on the ends of musical notes, Abuela’s magic rocks on a windowsill, the patterned rocks on the endpapers. Nevertheless, the book simply ends with a message of hope rather than an active resolution. The smattering of Spanish and Latinx foods and tropical fruits in the illustrations allow it to take place in many Spanish-speaking locales. Characters have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-19-inch double-page spreads viewed at 42.4% of actual size.)
Readers with a tolerance for ambiguity will find much to savor. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62371-869-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Crocodile/Interlink
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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
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
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