A gentle counter to traditional notions of masculinity and grit that breaks little new ground.
The author-illustrator team behind Giraffes Can’t Dance (2001) returns with a rhyming ode to bravery starring a pair of anthropomorphic bears.
Strong, handsome, courageous Clarence catches fish and finds honey with ease; in short, he’s “everything grizzly bears ought to be.” A loving big sibling, he gently encourages younger, smaller brother Dave to follow his example, but sensitive Dave presents a different image of masculinity. Wearing a flower garland, he cries: “I’ll never be Clarence, not EVER!” But Dave is struck by inspiration when he finds a brightly patterned piece of fabric on a walk and embarks on a secret project. Eventually, he invites all the animals to his den and presents his brother with a fabulous cloak, explaining that creating it “makes me feel…TRUE.” The transformation is tied up with an emotional bow as Clarence sheds tears of joy and tells Dave that accepting who he is makes him brave. The immediate and unanimous acceptance of Dave’s affinity for fashion is sweet if perhaps a bit idealistic; human children may not be as accepting as the gaggle of woodland critters, though the trepidation Dave feels in breaking from the norm rings true. Given how reassuring Clarence is from the get-go, there isn’t much dramatic tension, and it’s a story we’ve seen countless times before. The illustration style is love it or leave it, with campy, bright colors and a nostalgic, retro feeling in the shading and slight shadows. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A gentle counter to traditional notions of masculinity and grit that breaks little new ground. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-85010-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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