A winsome ode to Middle Eastern food and families.
Yasmine attempts to make hummus.
In Yasmine’s “summer home across the ocean,” domed red roofs spread to the horizon, and the air smells sumptuous—after all, “Sundays are for feasts.” Yasmine is excited to help prepare for the big family gathering, until Jiddo (Arabic for Grandfather) gives Yasmine the job of making hummus. The child’s never done that before. Plus, Yasmine, who didn’t grow up here like Baba (Yasmine’s father) did, can’t speak Arabic as well as the rest of the family. What if everyone is disappointed? The family’s kind, smiling faces and their cozy home, rendered in soft colors and round shapes, balance Yasmine’s anxiety with a sense of peace and comfort. Savory-looking chickpeas, garlic, tahini, and lemon will spark yummy memories for readers familiar with this traditional blend, but they’re also easy to recognize for newcomers. Yasmine’s nervousness when the hummus doesn’t come out just like Baba’s will resonate with many children who haven’t grown up in their parents’ homelands, but Baba’s empowering reassurance (“It’s yours. Hummus à la Yasmine!”) affirms the value of the protagonist’s unique contribution. While it might be difficult for a hummus purist to accept the backmatter’s breezy suggestion to add new flavors like pesto, this supportive family could charm anyone into a cheerful cry of “sahtein!” (Arabic for “bon appétit”). Though the setting isn’t specified, in her author’s note Boukarim mentions that she was born in Lebanon.
A winsome ode to Middle Eastern food and families. (glossary, hummus recipe) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781773069074
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
