Appealing—if not groundbreaking—reassurance for children of divorce.
A child reflects on the houses of his separated parents in this dos-à-dos book.
In The Mirror in Mommy’s House, a bespectacled, redheaded white child recalls living with his parents in one house. Holding a pet rabbit close, he remembers gazing into a mirror as his parents quarreled, letting his imagination roam free. Now he has two special, happy houses. The book is a visual delight—Zacarias’ seamless blend of cut-paper collage and pastels adds depth and texture to the story. Yellows and reds bathe Mommy’s house in a warm glow, and love radiates off the page. Vaguely halting text and overly prolific ellipses (“Back then, in that single house, Daddy and Mommy used to argue a lot. And it made me sad…”) are slightly distracting; this is a Spanish import. In The Mirror in Daddy’s House, some may be disappointed to read the same story, more or less. Others may enjoy flipping from side to side to identify differences and similarities in the text and illustrations. (They may also wonder at a continuity flaw in the child’s clothing, noticeable at the center of the book.) Although Daddy’s gray-blues clearly distinguish it from Mommy’s orangey-yellows, they also imbue Daddy’s side with inadvertent sadness. Ultimately, the message that both parents love and share him, while not new, is still worthwhile. The book is also available in Spanish: El Espejo En La Casa de Mamá / El Espejo En La Casa de Papá.
Appealing—if not groundbreaking—reassurance for children of divorce. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 10, 2017
ISBN: 978-84-945415-5-1
Page Count: 44
Publisher: NubeOcho
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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