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BE A BRIDGE

Name: BE A BRIDGE
Author: Irene Latham
ISBN: 978-1-72842-338-8

by Irene Latham & Charles Waters ; illustrated by Nabila Adani ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 2, 2022

A charming and welcome read bound to help cultivate a kinder next generation.

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An exuberant ode to the virtues of kindness and inclusion.

Latham and Waters take readers through a day in the lives of a diverse group of students who cross a literal bridge to school—and a metaphorical one toward a world of compassion and respect. Upbeat, rhyming text urges readers to persevere, connect with others, stand up to bullies, and be respectful, complemented by digital, watercolorlike illustrations depicting kids being welcoming to their fellow students in art class, in gym, at lunchtime, and at storytime. The theme of rainbows and bridges can be found throughout. Brimming with colorful details, each page is a visual delight that reminds teachers, librarians, and caregivers of the need to model kindness and compassion to little learners. The backmatter includes a “Bridge Builder Pledge” with statements such as “I will be the one to reach out and say hello,” and “I will keep an open mind.” Uplifting and accessible, this one pairs well with The Day You Begin (2018) by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by Rafael López, and Be a King (2018), by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by James E. Ransome. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A charming and welcome read bound to help cultivate a kinder next generation. (authors’ note, activities, further reading) (Picture book. 4-9)

Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-72842-338-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Carolrhoda

Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MISTAKES THAT MADE US
edited by Irene Latham & Charles Waters ; illustrated by Mercè López

- BOOK REVIEW
THE MUSEUM ON THE MOON
by Irene Latham ; illustrated by Myriam Wares

- BOOK REVIEW
SNAIL'S ARK
by Irene Latham ; illustrated by Mehrdokht Amini

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LITTLE DAYMOND LEARNS TO EARN

by Daymond John ; illustrated by Nicole Miles ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2023

It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.

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How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!

John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)

Pub Date: March 21, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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)