Cute but somewhat illogical.
Hunting a “lost” language.
Ella the elephant and her pachyderm family—Bubbe, Zeyde, and little brother Eli—visit the beach. Bubbe peppers her conversation with Yiddish words but regrets she’s forgotten—“lost”—many words in that ancient language; she calls them a “treasure.” Ella, proud of her treasure-hunting skills, promises to help Bubbe find them and builds a ship from sand to go exploring. A wave ruins it, but undaunted Ella falls asleep and dreams of adventure. Alas, she doesn’t find what she seeks because she doesn’t know what a “lost language” looks like. As the family gets ready to head home, Ella spies a Yiddish lexicon on a table displaying “Seaside Treasures” and—better yet—recaps the day in an animated exclamation laced with every Yiddish word Bubbe used, even in the order she said them! Bubbe confirms Ella’s hunting prowess, crowing that the Yiddish “was inside you all along!” This cheerful story celebrating a loving family overplays the language shtick and strains credulity: Ella doesn’t know what Yiddish is yet can recall all Bubbe’s Yiddish terms and verbalize them correctly in context on her first try soon after hearing the words. The energetic illustrations fare better; the depiction of Ella’s shipboard exploration is especially vivid. All characters are animals. Yiddish words are set in a larger, boldfaced, capitalized red font. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Cute but somewhat illogical. (“what is Yiddish?”, glossary of Yiddish words with English definitions, pronunciation guides, and words spelled with Hebrew lettering) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 9798986396514
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kalaniot Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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
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