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BABA'S PEACH TREE

Name: BABA'S PEACH TREE
Author: Marie Tang
ISBN: 9780593565070

by Marie Tang ; illustrated by Seo Kim ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 14, 2024

A touching tribute to migrant workers who blossom in any soil.

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Just as their beloved peach tree cycles through seasons of change, so, too, do the lives of a father and child.

Tao Hua and Baba live in the mountains of China. Life isn’t easy, and they always have work to do, but they have each other…and a lovely peach tree that Baba tends to all year. Using poetic but matter-of-fact language, Tang describes this blessing in their lives (“Our tree’s cloud of flowers turned magenta like the sky at dinnertime”). Baba brings in extra income selling the peaches during the summer. Each day he saves the best one for Tao Hua, and every night, the child buries the pit in the field behind the house. One year, the peach tree fails to blossom; it’s reached the end of its life cycle. Baba works a series of jobs to earn money. Finally, he lands a stable job in the city, a dreary place without “peach sun” that nevertheless offers many opportunities. Years later, when Tao Hua has blossomed into an adult and Baba has grown old, they return to their mountain home. Rather than finding a single peach tree, they see “a rainbow of pink and red [reaching] high into the sky.” Kim’s delicate, expressive art portrays both the beauty of the natural world and this loving family’s indomitable spirit.

A touching tribute to migrant workers who blossom in any soil. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 14, 2024

ISBN: 9780593565070

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House Studio

Review Posted Online: March 9, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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THE COOL BEAN MAKES A SPLASH

From the I Can Read! series

by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.

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The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.

Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)