This sweet story of family abounds with food, flowers, and quality time with loved ones.
In this picture book, a Jewish child and his Zayde enjoy their last year as neighbors before the man has to move to a smaller home.
It’s hard work keeping up a yard when you get to be Zayde’s age, even if you love gardening. But when light-skinned, golden-haired Ben takes the hand of his mustached great-grandpa and asks him to stay in his big house until the blueberries grow, Zayde promises he will. When the juicy berries are dripping down their chins and Zayde’s toes are in the grass, Ben asks him to stay until the grapes are ripe. And when the grapes are ripe, the boy extends his request until the snow falls. Facial expressions and dialogue skillfully convey Zayde’s own reluctance to move on. He knows a new phase is approaching and gives himself and Ben time to adjust to an inevitable change. Cold is hard on older bones in a large house, but Zayde stays until spring, when the family gathers for a seder. Finally, Zayde must sell his house and relocate to a new space (“It’s like a hotel”), where Ben brings him blueberries that they still enjoy together. Kam’s engaging tale gently emphasizes the limited time that Ben and Zayde have with each other. Walker’s digital paintings in warm tones with ample textures deftly depict identifiable plants and foods and give a sense of Zayde’s aesthetic preferences and personality.
This sweet story of family abounds with food, flowers, and quality time with loved ones.Pub Date: April 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-73655-733-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: PJ Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
PERSPECTIVES
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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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