A celebration of play and story sure to excite the imaginations of young readers and listeners.
How can you be bored when mysterious creatures live in the garden?
Nora is tired of painting tigers, so Grandma sends her out in the garden to find the tiger that Grandma claims lives there. Irritable and dubious at first, the young white girl can’t believe her grandmother thinks she’ll play such silly games—until her imagination begins to unfold. Striking, colorful, and detailed multimedia illustrations, with just the right amount of detail, show Nora, along with her trusty stuffed giraffe, Jeff, as she encounters giant dragonflies, carnivorous plants, and a curmudgeonly polar bear. “And even though there are dragonflies as big as birds and plants that want to eat us, and you are a very grumpy polar bear,” she tells her new acquaintance, “there is absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent, no….” Wait, what’s that in the bushes? Could it be…? And how can you tell if a tiger is real anyway? Conversational text tells the story in a concise, accessible manner, while the vivid illustrations are certain to capture the attention and imaginations of a young audience. Back in the house after her adventure, Nora tells Grandma what has happened. Perhaps Nora has discovered a whole new way to play!
A celebration of play and story sure to excite the imaginations of young readers and listeners. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-328-79183-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
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
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
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