Laudable in its inclusivity and content, imperfect in execution.
In a companion to The Great Big Book of Families (2011), Hoffman and Asquith tackle the myriad ways families are made in the 21st century.
The energetic scenes depicting mixed-race, same-sex, blended and single-parent families transition from a husband and pregnant wife to a variety of other family configurations discussing adoption and foster homes. A green teddy bear provides commentary. Unfortunately, both the descriptive narrative (in its brevity and possibly unfamiliar terminology) and some of the cartoon dialogue have the potential to be confusing to the intended audience. Parents trying to adopt “find a child who can’t stay with their original family, because their birth parents aren’t able to look after them.” The accompanying illustration shows an adoring dad saying, “Amazing! She looks just like your mom.” Parents looking for a book to introduce in vitro fertilization may appreciate the coverage, but the chart of the “male cell + female cell” equation coupled with the smiling boy exclaiming that he “came from a glass dish” may need further explanation. Hoffman devotes another spread to how same-sex couples get their cells (women from a friend or “special clinic,” men also needing a woman to “grow the baby”). If children ask what a cell is or where it comes from, parents are on their own.
Laudable in its inclusivity and content, imperfect in execution. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-84780-592-8
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2014
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers.
Two little rats decide to show the world how tough they are, with unpredictable results.
Louie and Ralphie Ratso want to be just like their single dad, Big Lou: tough! They know that “tough” means doing mean things to other animals, like stealing Chad Badgerton’s hat. Chad Badgerton is a big badger, so taking that hat from him proves that Louie and Ralphie are just as tough as they want to be. However, it turns out that Louie and Ralphie have just done a good deed instead of a bad one: Chad Badgerton had taken that hat from little Tiny Crawley, a mouse, so when Tiny reclaims it, they are celebrated for goodness rather than toughness. Sadly, every attempt Louie and Ralphie make at doing mean things somehow turns nice. What’s a little boy rat supposed to do to be tough? Plus, they worry about what their dad will say when he finds out how good they’ve been. But wait! Maybe their dad has some other ideas? LaReau keeps the action high and completely appropriate for readers embarking on chapter books. Each of the first six chapters features a new, failed attempt by Louie and Ralphie to be mean, and the final, seventh chapter resolves everything nicely. The humor springs from their foiled efforts and their reactions to their failures. Myers’ sprightly grayscale drawings capture action and characters and add humorous details, such as the Ratsos’ “unwelcome” mat.
A nicely inventive little morality “tail” for newly independent readers. (Fiction. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 2, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7636-0
Page Count: 64
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2016
Supportive messages all children need to hear.
The world is lucky you’re here.
In gentle verse, this book delivers a quiet yet powerfully uplifting message: You’re special; you’re wonderful; you’re endowed with remarkable talents. You’re uniquely, unmistakably, unequivocally YOU, so don’t be afraid to go out and conquer the world. Gifts you don’t know about yet are ready to blossom; possibilities you haven’t begun to dream about are looming; roads you haven’t yet begun to explore lie before you! This is heady, empowering stuff. The encouraging proposals herein will boost children’s esteem when their spirits are flagging. Richmond reminds readers that the world’s waiting for them—to voice their ideas and opinions, to be the very best versions of themselves, and to do good for others. Some ideas may be a bit too lofty for children; adults might have to help explain things occasionally. Generally, though, kids should get the point that the world awaits them, that they’re special, and that they should aim to be the best they can be. The book will also make a fine gift for baby showers and new parents. Appealing illustrations, created with graphite pencil and digital methods, have an idyllic sweetness, depicting racially diverse characters putting on a play, spending time in nature, and more. Typefaces occasionally vary to highlight particular concepts.
Supportive messages all children need to hear. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781728291529
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
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