Tender, affirming, and relevant for all families and communities.
Hands are for touching, connecting, and loving—even from far away.
A brown-skinned child with dark hair lives in a big apartment building in a busy city. There’s a big bright yellow painted handprint set against a heart on one otherwise plain wall of the building. Racially diverse neighbors stop by; pressing their hands against the print, they reconnect with faraway or deceased loved ones as the wall transforms into a poignant remembered scene. Ms. Iris, who presents Asian, recalls cooking with her family back in her home country. Young Savannah, cued Latine, remembers assembling a puzzle with her late abuela, while Amani and Eli are reminded of their father, a migrant worker who went south recently. Yamasaki’s spare, expressive text pairs beautifully with lush, vivid scenes full of tiny, discoverable details. Images of people flying off in paper airplanes or walking across a rainbow bridge represent ways to connect with those who aren’t present. The protagonist, it turns out, has a story, too, one that inspired the creation of this magical handprint in the hopes a loved one will come home soon. In an author’s note, Yamasaki describes how her experiences making art with incarcerated women living in Mexico and the United States inspired this story; she includes a list of organizations that help families affected by incarceration. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Tender, affirming, and relevant for all families and communities. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2023
ISBN: 9781324017035
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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