With humor, heart, and oodles of child appeal, this tale models a flawed but devoted parent’s mastery of love languages.
When a young girl seems unable to get her father’s attention, a simple question brings it back.
Dad chats with a friend at the supermarket, talks on the phone while cooking, and texts while the young protagonist dons pajamas. Feeling neglected, the child wonders what will happen if he runs out of words: “Will you have any left for me?” The father’s expression registers guilt and embarrassment. With unruly dark hair and a massive upper body ending in tiny feet, he’s a robust yet comical and affable character. He explains that if faced with a language deficit, he would visit the Elves’ Word Factory; upon seeing the containers of “small talk” and “dad jokes,” he’d select “infinity” to guarantee a steady supply. But what if he gets lost on his way back? The child asks a series of “what ifs” as she enacts various incredibly flexible poses on her bed, a stuffed rabbit mirroring her acrobatics—all set against uncluttered white pages. By contrast, detailed, mixed-media settings portray Dad’s increasingly outlandish scenarios of his journey home: He builds a rocket, rides a narwhal, and drinks a shrinking potion so he can fit on a mouse-led rescue boat. Ultimately, loving words and the dramatic reveal of the “infinity” bottle amaze and delight the daughter—and readers. The child is light-skinned; Dad is brown-skinned.
With humor, heart, and oodles of child appeal, this tale models a flawed but devoted parent’s mastery of love languages. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 9, 2024
ISBN: 9781419766886
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their...
Less ambitious than Chris Gall’s widely known Dinotrux (2009) and sequels, this British import systematically relegates each dinosaur/construction-equipment hybrid to its most logical job.
The title figures are introduced as bigger than both diggers and dinosaurs, and rhyming text and two construction-helmeted kids show just what these creatures are capable of. Each diggersaur has a specific job to do and a distinct sound effect. The dozersaurus moves rocks with a “SCRAAAAPE!!!” while the rollersaurus flattens lumps with a cheery “TOOT TOOT!!” Each diggersaur is numbered, with 12 in all, allowing this to be a counting book on the sly. As the diggersaurs (not all of which dig) perform jobs that regular construction equipment can do, albeit on a larger scale, there is no particular reason why any of them should have dinosaurlike looks other than just ’cause. Peppy computer art tries valiantly to attract attention away from the singularly unoriginal text. “Diggersaurs dig with bites so BIG, / each SCOOP creates a crater. // They’re TOUGH and STRONG / with necks so long— / they’re super EXCAVATORS!” Far more interesting are the two human characters, a white girl and a black boy, that flit about the pictures offering commentary and action. Much of the fun of the book can be found in trying to spot them on every two-page spread.
Count on construction die-hards falling in love, but discerning readers would be wise to look elsewhere for their dino/construction kicks. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-9848-4779-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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