An African-American boy remembers the life and death of the family farm in Bradby’s (Momma, Where Are You From, 2000, etc.) latest poetic offering. In the beginning, the boy tells of working the land, enjoying a homegrown meal, milking cows, and picking apples (e.g., “A mule / a tiller / work till dinner. / A stump / a rock / pulls till you drop. / I hold Mama’s hand, / Daddy carries Sue. / We see rabbits, deer, and shooting stars when work is through”) But memories soon meld into the reality of the encroaching urban landscape: “A highway / a light / flashing in the night. / A mall / a town / been spreading round.” Signaling the transformation, Rand’s (Sailing Home: A Story of a Childhood at Sea, 2001, etc.) spirited watercolors turn somber; gray, black, and white vignettes show the speeding blur of cars and a birds-eye view of a construction site. On the facing page—and once again in full color—a sun-dappled sister and brother float boats down a stream. The final spread, framed in grayish blue, shows a bright yellow bulldozer uprooting trees and moving earth. Although the rhyme is occasionally forced, Bradby’s tribute is heartfelt and true, giving young readers a glimpse of an endangered way of life. Rendered in the browns, blues, and greens of rural America, Rand’s expressive illustrations provide perfect accompaniment. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 2001
ISBN: 0-439-31766-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2002
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Give this child’s-eye view of a day at the beach with an attentive father high marks for coziness: “When your ball blows across the sand and into the ocean and starts to drift away, your daddy could say, Didn’t I tell you not to play too close to the waves? But he doesn’t. He wades out into the cold water. And he brings your ball back to the beach and plays roll and catch with you.” Alley depicts a moppet and her relaxed-looking dad (to all appearances a single parent) in informally drawn beach and domestic settings: playing together, snuggling up on the sofa and finally hugging each other goodnight. The third-person voice is a bit distancing, but it makes the togetherness less treacly, and Dad’s mix of love and competence is less insulting, to parents and children both, than Douglas Wood’s What Dads Can’t Do (2000), illus by Doug Cushman. (Picture book. 5-7)
Pub Date: May 23, 2005
ISBN: 0-618-00361-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2005
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