Warm and bright.
A picture-book celebration of babies and their individuality.
While the text doesn’t directly quote the spiritual “This Little Light of Mine,” many readers will doubtlessly think of the song when they read Staub’s text in verse. Nor does the text define characters, instead leaving illustrator Nichols to depict not just a singular baby named in the title, but several babies and their diverse families. Smooth cartoon illustrations with stardustlike detailing depict: a white-appearing toddler with a single mother and older sibling who both also appear white; baby twins who, like their parents (one of whom uses a wheelchair), appear white; a baby who appears Asian with what seem to be two dads (one also appears Asian, and the other seems white); and a black-appearing family with a mom, dad, baby, and older child. These characters recur throughout the book, the ever present sparkles emphasizing the title’s “shine.” This family diversity contributes to the picture book’s success, making it stand apart from a surfeit of titles about beloved babies. However, readers may note that the inclusivity is a bit undermined by the text’s positioning of seeing and hearing as universal abilities with lines such as “Look, baby, look! You were born to see” and “Listen, baby, listen! Hear that joyful sound?” Given the thoughtful inclusion of a person with a visible disability, this stands out.
Warm and bright. (Picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-59078-931-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to.
This simplified version of Diesen and Hanna’s The Pout-Pout Fish (2008) is appropriate for babies and toddlers.
Brief, rhyming text tells the story of a sullen fish cheered up with a kiss. A little pink sea creature pokes his head out of a hole in the sea bottom to give the gloomy fish some advice: “Smile, Mr. Fish! / You look so down // With your glum-glum face / And your pout-pout frown.” He explains that there’s no reason to be worried, scared, sad or mad and concludes: “How about a smooch? / And a cheer-up wish? // Now you look happy: / What a smile, Mr. Fish!” Simple and sweet, this tale offers the lesson that sometimes, all that’s needed for a turnaround in mood is some cheer and encouragement to change our perspective. The clean, uncluttered illustrations are kept simple, except for the pout-pout fish’s features, which are delightfully expressive. Little ones will easily recognize and likely try to copy the sad, scared and angry looks that cross the fish’s face.
An upbeat early book on feelings with a simple storyline that little ones will respond to. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-374-37084-8
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: Dec. 23, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lovely package, this quiet title will be best as a gift book for new moms eager to read aloud to the newest members of...
A mother’s observations of her new baby lead to a series of sweet comparisons to various animals.
“When I met you, you were small and trembling, and I thought you might be a little bunny. / I held you close so you were warm.” Teen author Marr (Made for You, 2014, etc.) uses playful yet comforting language in her picture-book debut. The baby’s squirming kicks remind her of a “lost kangaroo”; a lifting of the child’s head makes her think of a “curious lizard”; and the little one’s howl seems like that of a “lonely wolf.” Each of the child’s behaviors leads to a tender action taken by the mother: tucking the baby in, offering milk, and giving a bath. Each time a new creature is introduced, White gently changes the dominant color in the muted pastel palette of her watercolor and gouache illustrations. That hue is also reflected in the hand-lettered text, giving the overall design of the book a vintage feel. When the baby smiles, the mother knows “You are not a bunny-roo-lizard-wolf-kitten-piggy. You are my baby.” The final page shows the curled-up infant asleep in a pile of blankets.
A lovely package, this quiet title will be best as a gift book for new moms eager to read aloud to the newest members of their families. (Picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: April 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-399-16742-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2015
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