A joyful story of one child’s can-do spirit and tasty endings.
A young girl of Pakistani descent whips up a traditional treat with a twist.
Noor is excited for her friends to visit, but she can’t decide what to serve them. Her father offers to order pizza, but Noor wants to make grandmother Dadijaan’s special potato and pea samosas. Her excitement turns to disappointment when she realizes she doesn’t have the recipe or the right ingredients—and it’s too early to call Dadijaan, who lives in Pakistan. Her father advises her to make do with what she has, and her pet parrot pipes up with an encouraging Urdu phrase that Noor’s grandmother often says: “Sab theek hai. Sab theek hoga!” (“Everything’s great. Everything’s going to be okay!”) Noor decides to make samosas with unique fillings. Soon, father and daughter are chopping, peeling, and grinding away. When it’s time to fill the samosa wraps, however, Noor’s attempts are less than successful. But she refuses to give up, and inspiration strikes when she recalls that her grandmother wraps the samosas the same way she ties her scarf into a turban—“TWIST, FLIP, FOLD, AND…TUCK!” Her friends bite into little triangles of delicious and unexpected flavors of apple-cinnamon, cheesy pepperoni, and honey-pistachio samosas. Though the word awe-samosas is a bit overused, Noor’s plucky problem-solving and her encouraging cheerleaders help buoy the book. Illustrations that vary between close-ups and lively alternating perspectives evoke a cozy, bustling kitchen.
A joyful story of one child’s can-do spirit and tasty endings. (samosa recipe, Urdu glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063257276
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind.
When Mom and Dad bring baby Rasheed home for the first time, it’s love at first sight for big brother Anthony.
As the boys grow, Anthony teaches his little sibling how to build a tower with blocks (and how to knock it down with a loud “WHOP!!!”), how to ride a bike, and even how to fly (through a well-timed leap from the swings). When thunder and lightning wake them both one night, Anthony assuages Rasheed’s fears with the book’s titular refrain: “I got you.” But one day Anthony goes for a bike ride with his friends, leaving Rasheed alone and hurt. That night, Anthony explains that while he may spend time with his peers, his bond with Rasheed is unbreakable. And as the book comes to a close, with Mom and Dad introducing the boys to their new little sibling, Anthony leaves Rasheed with perhaps the greatest lesson of all: how to be a supportive big brother himself. Narrated by Rasheed, Barnes’ text is elegant in its simplicity, loving yet never saccharine, and always emotionally honest. Using varied perspectives, Knight-Justice’s richly hued, collagelike digital illustrations combine a patchwork of textures and patterns, immersing readers in this affectionate Black family’s world. Greens and blues dominate the pages, bringing to life an idyllic suburban setting.
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780593111451
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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