A somewhat clichéd but nonetheless uplifting look at disability and differences.
A girl with Down syndrome celebrates self-acceptance.
Eleven-year-old Sofia Sanchez, the book’s inspiration and visual focus, was adopted from Ukraine as a baby by a supportive American family, who encouraged her to become a model and actor. A sunny note from Sanchez opens the book, explaining that she’s “just like any other kid”; her Down syndrome is “just one part” of her. Acknowledging that being different “can be lonely” and that some people “think being different is scary,” the narration urges readers to embrace their own unique qualities, which all add up to being “enough.” “You aren’t perfect (no one is!). But you are okay being perfectly yourself,” the book declares. The text explores this evergreen sentiment earnestly if somewhat blandly, employing such well-worn phrases as “Being different is what makes you special.” Readers are encouraged not to “stay on the sidelines,” reassured that they’re “stronger than [their] fears,” and told the importance of listening to supportive “cheerleaders.” Exhorting readers to “look for the good in the world,” the book touchingly concludes, “Start by looking in the mirror. Love what you see there.” Cardoso’s bright illustrations animate the common theme, depicting smiling folks of diverse ages, races, cultures, and abilities as they dance, play, and help one another. Resources from the National Down Syndrome Society answer frequently asked questions and offer tips for talking about Down syndrome. Sanchez presents White. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 30.9% of actual size.)
A somewhat clichéd but nonetheless uplifting look at disability and differences. (biographical note) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-338-63074-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.
Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.
There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”
Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025
ISBN: 9781400247417
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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