A satisfying tale of sisterhood—and of a younger sibling who finds a way to shine.
Sisters Weitzman and Glasser team up for a tale of individuality, acceptance, and sibling conflict.
Narrator Daisy introduces her family: her parents, who grow and sell flowers, and her big sisters, Lily and Poppy. The older girls’ distinctive personalities are reflected in their respective gardens. Lily’s carefully bordered, ruler-perfect squares, manicured with scissors, evince her perfectionism. In chaotic contrast, Poppy’s garden is a riot of her namesake scarlet flowers, ornaments, birdhouses, and a Rube Goldberg–esque device. (Poppy optimistically even plants hard candies.) Each sister gently critiques the other’s style: Poppy suggests a trampoline for Lily’s plot, and Lily encourages Poppy to be a bit more orderly. So far, little Daisy tends just one plant in a flowerpot, but today is the day she gets her own garden. Predictably, each sister wants Daisy’s plot to reflect her own preferences. In an escalating contest, they go so far as to divide Daisy’s plot between them. But Daisy knows that her garden needs to reflect her own identity. The writing provides effective characterization as the sisters’ rival visions unfurl. Delicate drawings bloom with detail and color. The girls are light-skinned: Lily has long, neatly tied black hair, Poppy has spiky locks, and Daisy’s short red curls stand out.
A satisfying tale of sisterhood—and of a younger sibling who finds a way to shine. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780062279286
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available.
A ghost learns to appreciate his differences.
The little ghost protagonist of this title is unusual. He’s a quilt, not a lightweight sheet like his parents and friends. He dislikes being different despite his mom’s reassurance that his ancestors also had unconventional appearances. Halloween makes the little ghost happy, though. He decides to watch trick-or-treaters by draping over a porch chair—but lands on a porch rail instead. A mom accompanying her daughter picks him up, wraps him around her chilly daughter, and brings him home with them! The family likes his looks and comforting warmth, and the little ghost immediately feels better about himself. As soon as he’s able to, he flies out through the chimney and muses happily that this adventure happened only due to his being a quilt. This odd but gently told story conveys the importance of self-respect and acceptance of one’s uniqueness. The delivery of this positive message has something of a heavy-handed feel and is rushed besides. It also isn’t entirely logical: The protagonist could have been a different type of covering; a blanket, for instance, might have enjoyed an identical experience. The soft, pleasing illustrations’ palette of tans, grays, white, black, some touches of color, and, occasionally, white text against black backgrounds suggest isolation, such as the ghost feels about himself. Most humans, including the trick-or-treating mom and daughter, have beige skin. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-16.6-inch double-page spreads viewed at 66.2% of actual size.)
Halloween is used merely as a backdrop; better holiday titles for young readers are available. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7352-6447-2
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Tundra Books
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
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