Appealing, emotionally resonant illustrations lift up a less-than-polished text.
An aging lion and a young rabbit cultivate a lasting friendship.
An old lion, ousted from his former pride and living out lonely days, unexpectedly finds a baby rabbit nestled into the fur of his mane. The lion thinks at first to fatten up the kit and eat it when it becomes large enough. But as time goes by and Old Lion continues to care for (and tell nostalgic stories to) Little Rabbit—Kaichi’s illustrations here are rendered with a deftness and whimsy destined to melt readers’ hearts—Old Lion comes to realize that he loves Little Rabbit. When Hyena, the lion’s occasional meal companion, shows up and threatens Little Rabbit, Old Lion realizes he must take Little Rabbit somewhere safe. The story ends poignantly, with the rabbit skipping off to a relatively more secure future while the lion contemplates his own, a “lonely savanna where his worn-out throne waited for him.” Kaichi’s guileless illustrations positively brim with emotional resonance, but her text, while essentially sound, is a little lacking in polish. The occasional passive voice, too much telling, and unnecessary repetitions clutter the story’s momentum, while some sloppy generalizations (“herd” for “pride”; “rabbit” for the hares that live in the savanna) lessen its impact.
Appealing, emotionally resonant illustrations lift up a less-than-polished text. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-988-8341-24-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: minedition
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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