Too visually busy and abstract to help with readers’ own monster woes.
A boy sees monsters at night.
Whenever his mom or dad says “Lights-out, Leonard,” Leonard—a White boy in a fox suit—cries “NO!” and wins five more minutes. The extra time doesn’t help banish the lurking monsters, nor does persuading his tired parents to leave his lights on overnight for a week. Even in a well-lit room, Leonard sees creatures that have many extra features and limbs: “five-nosed, seven-tailed, eleven-handed, scaly-waily.” Then someone places an instruction book on Leonard’s bed. Ways to frighten monsters include “Minty breath—this makes monsters feel so sick they shrivel up and disintegrate into a pile of dust” (clever parents!); stuffed animals, which eject monsters “straight through the ceiling and onto the moon”; and gentle music, which makes monsters “go flat like pancakes, and their ears dry up like old playdough.” Nixon’s art features sharp angles, inky purple-blues against low-contrast oranges, and so many discordant patterns that although the visual chaos makes symbolic sense, the spreads are too busy, with no particular place for readers’ eyes to focus. The multipatterned monsters are so abstract that they require effort to see. For deeper and more cohesive monster-conquering, go old-school with Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are or get Emily Tetri’s brilliant Tiger vs. Nightmare (2018).
Too visually busy and abstract to help with readers’ own monster woes. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68464-062-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kane Miller
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day.
In this picture book from pop star Kevin Jonas and his wife, TV personality Danielle Jonas, a rainy day forces a child to find an alternate way to enjoy the beach.
Family beach day is one of Bella’s favorite things. She loves splashing in the waves, jumping from rock to rock, and building sand castles. Today, however, the weather isn’t cooperating, but Bella isn’t upset. “It will just have to stop raining. That’s all.” Disappointment sets in when her family tells her that beach day is off. Teary Bella rejects suggested indoor pastimes like board games, musical jam sessions, or reading stories together, and she retreats to her room. Dejected, Bella consoles herself with her stuffed bunny, Mr. Bonkers, until her parents and sister, Emma, knock on her door with a surprise: “BEDROOM BEACH DAY!” With just a few household items—a big lamp for the sun, a fan for the ocean breeze, a blue blanket for water, and pillows for rocks—and a large dose of imagination, Bella’s bedroom is transformed. A flexible attitude from all helps Bella—and readers—realize that things may not always go as planned…but sometimes they can be even better than we expected. Whimsical, cartoonish drawings and a dialogue-driven narrative turn a setback into an uplifting family experience. Bella and her family are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9780593352106
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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