Spotty visuals drag down a lively text.
A new twist on an old favorite takes readers along the Oregon Trail.
It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump from Hansel and Gretel’s forest in Germany to the lonely high deserts of Oregon and Idaho. Here, siblings Hank and Gertie wander too far from their wagon train only to discover a cabin made of rock candy and licorice. The witch inside immediately imprisons Gertie and feeds Hank past satiety, meaning it’s up to the girl’s quick brain, applying what she’s learned on the trail, to save both herself and her brother. Kimmel proves yet again that folk- and fairy tales still make for great picture-book fodder. Eschewing Western vernacular, he tells his tale straight, albeit with some startling details (the witch takes a page out of Baba Yaga’s playbook, traveling by kettle). Serviceable, sometimes-awkward, flat images accompany the text, occasionally surprising readers with understated details (as when the wagon train loads up the candy from the cabin at the end). The illustrations shine when displaying the magnificent array of foods—duff pudding with maple cream sauce, fried chicken, hoecakes, and more—that disappear down Hank’s gullet. Hank, Gertie, and their mother are white, and no mention is made of American Indians, though the villain’s darker skin, fringed buckskin jacket, and moccasins are entirely avoidable choices that play into stereotypes.
Spotty visuals drag down a lively text. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-51326-122-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: WestWinds Press
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
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 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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