A beautifully written book that finds its real emotion in its lovely illustrations.
At bedtime, twin toddlers find themselves dreaming of dancing among the stars together in Neely’s picture book.
Ezarah and Elyse are twin sisters with brown skin and dark curly hair. The sisters have distinct personalities—Ezarah is fearless and Elyse is a bit less bold—but their bond is fierce, which is evident when they’re put into different cribs to sleep. The separated twins are upset and find sleep hard to come by until Elyse suggests that Ezarah climb into her crib to sleep. (“Ezarah agrees with a warm, sleepy smile, / Together they’ll dream in the sweetest twin style.”) A spectacular, dreamy sequence features the twins dancing together; it almost feels interactive, making readers feel as if they, too, are floating among the stars. The next morning, the twins’ mother finds them contently sleeping side by side, and she vows to buy them a bed to sleep in together. Neely’s text is short and sweet, lyrical and gentle, but the star of this picture book is, fittingly, the pictures; Pham’s illustrations elevate the narrative, making it seem dreamlike with a soft palette of gentle pastels and dusky blues. Pham has a gift for evoking emotions through details, especially the girls’ wide, expressive eyes. This is more than a bedtime story—it’s a visual poem celebrating love, imagination, and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood. It’s also an instant classic fit for any picture-book shelf.
A beautifully written book that finds its real emotion in its lovely illustrations.Pub Date: Feb. 5, 2025
ISBN: 9798992597301
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Eden Storyhouse
Review Posted Online: May 14, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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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