A cozy weekend full of sweet family fun, with a dash of community and a pinch of love.
Baby Bear wants to wear pajamas all day and eat nothing but pancakes—and the whole town joins in.
One Saturday morning, while smothering pancakes in syrup, Baby Bear wishes he could stay in his pajamas for the rest of the day. Mama and Papa think it’s a great idea. Suddenly Pancakes in Pajamas Day is born. The first thing the Bear family does in their pajamas is go back to bed! After some stories and a nap, they play games. Then they decide to take their pajamas outdoors. They stroll through the park, content and confident in their nightclothes. When they begin to feel hungry they ride their bikes to—where else?—Pete’s Pancakes. Friends see the Bears riding around and change into their pajamas to join them. Soon there is a parade of patterned pajamas riding all over town (more than one reader will likely be dismayed to see that no one is wearing a helmet). Everyone ends up in the town square for a fantastic Pancakes in Pajamas party. It’s delightful to pore over the diverse, all-animal townsfolk and see their varied activities. Asch excels at clean, simple lines, but his brimming crowd scene is warm and inviting.
A cozy weekend full of sweet family fun, with a dash of community and a pinch of love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 20, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8060-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
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 sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together.
A clueless duckling tries to make a new friend.
He is confused by this peculiar-looking duck, who has a long tail, doesn’t waddle and likes to be alone. No matter how explicitly the creature denies he is a duck and announces that he is a cat, the duckling refuses to acknowledge the facts. When this creature expresses complete lack of interest in playing puddle stomp, the little ducking goes off and plays on his own. But the cat is not without remorse for rejecting an offered friendship. Of course it all ends happily, with the two new friends enjoying each other’s company. Bramsen employs brief sentences and the simplest of rhymes to tell this slight tale. The two heroes are meticulously drawn with endearing, expressive faces and body language, and their feathers and fur appear textured and touchable. Even the detailed tree bark and grass seem three-dimensional. There are single- and double-page spreads, panels surrounded by white space and circular and oval frames, all in a variety of eye-pleasing juxtapositions. While the initial appeal is solidly visual, young readers will get the gentle message that friendship is not something to take for granted but is to be embraced with open arms—or paws and webbed feet.
A sweet, tender and charming experience to read aloud or together. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-375-86990-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2012
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