Short and sweet, but the empowering message, singsong cadences, and colorful, expressive faces are irresistible.
This simple, fun primer teaches toddlers the mechanics of dressing themselves to brave the elements on a snowy winter day.
In an animal kindergarten, a patient, encouraging teacher coaxes the children to bundle up before going outside for a recess romp in the snow. “Button your buttons, / zip your zippers. // Buckle your buckles, / and snap your snaps. // Put on your scarves. / Put on your mittens. // Put on your hats, please, / and pull down the flaps!” The animals that populate the classroom—raccoons, a rabbit, a beaver, a bear, and a porcupine—have large heads, big smiles, wide eyes, and delightfully confused expressions as they gamely execute their teacher’s orders. The illustrations have a wonderfully anarchic quality, as the teacher rides herd over a roomful of pupils moving in several directions at once. The bear cub wraps its head in its scarf like a mummy. Flying pencils, crayons, hats, mittens, and a runaway globe add to the chaos. Outside, the kids build a snowman and have a rousing snowball fight, then return from recess to repeat the process in reverse. Buttons are unbuttoned, zippers unzipped, buckles unbuckled, and snaps unsnapped, and once all the gear is removed, it’s time for well-deserved naps for the kids—and their teacher, too.
Short and sweet, but the empowering message, singsong cadences, and colorful, expressive faces are irresistible. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68052-954-8
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Cottage Door Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2020
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love.
Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter Monét’s picture-book debut reassures the very young that their caregivers are always watching over them.
A smiling yellow star watches the equally cheerful moon; both are heavily anthropomorphized, with eyelashes for the moon and pink cheeks for the star. A page turn reveals the star, now downcast and in the corner of a mostly dark spread: “Sometimes the sky is dark and you can’t see the moon at all.” The following spread, depicting a sparkly sky with both characters back in view, reminds children that the moon is there, even when it’s not visible: “Think of me as the moon / It’s always in the sky / Just like I will forever be / a bright light in your life.” Both orbs beam. “I’ll always be your moon / You’ll always be my star / Just keep me in your heart and / I’ll be everywhere you are.” This becomes the refrain after a few more verses that continue the theme of the moon as a metaphor for emotionally present, ever-loving caregivers. Little ones will happily repeat the words as they’re lulled to sleep. The book ends with a heartfelt dedication from the author to her daughter and to parents who balance caregiving duties with careers. Monét notes that she set out to show children that their parents’ devotion endures no matter what—a goal achieved by both text and art.
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780593698419
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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