A different, unusual, possibly mind-bending take on a big concept.
Does love come in different sizes?
An adult caregiver uses nature as a backdrop to gently empower the young child initially seen cuddled close by naming things that are much smaller than that child is: dandelions, caterpillars, bees, toads, dragonflies, turtles, and more. The second-person text also realistically explains that there are things in and out of this world that are much, much bigger: bears, waterfalls, lions, oceans, blue whales, stars, and galaxies—even love itself! The speaker elaborates by explaining that love means “a sheltering hug,” a kiss, and gives examples of how some animal families tenderly demonstrate their love in gentle ways. The narration concludes with the reassurance that “love is me and you. Our love is small, but it is big, too.” Many adult readers likely will interpret the statement to suggest that a big emotion like love is often expressed through small yet meaningful actions. Though it’s true, this distinction might confuse some little listeners. It’s likely youngsters will have already been exposed to books like this that reassure them of their parents’ overwhelming love. If so, they’ve received the impression that parental love is enormous. The concept expressed here—that an abstraction like love is comparable to tangible, real-world objects that can be physically compared on a big-small basis—may confound some literal-minded kids, especially if they’ve been reassured otherwise. The colorful, natural-world illustrations, as serene as the reassurance conveyed, ennoble the text. Adult and child both have light-brown skin and brown hair. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A different, unusual, possibly mind-bending take on a big concept. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 21, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-06-269165-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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