A sensitive, funny, yet deeply thoughtful exploration of difficult feelings.
A mole struggles with social anxiety.
“Should I actually go this time?” asks shy Mole upon receiving an invitation to Rabbit’s Moon Harvest Party. Mole tries different tactics in an attempt to feel brave: envisioning a positive outcome, preparing a sweet treat to delight the other guests, and even bargaining. Still, Mole is consumed with doubt, and the little creature travels to the party through a series of underground tunnels that become increasingly twisty and complex—a lovely visual touch that reflects Mole’s own emotions. Once aboveground, Mole finds a kindred spirit in Skunk, who’s also ambivalent about attending the soiree. When Rabbit lets the two of them in, they both decide not to enter. Rabbit lets the pair know they are loved and appreciated no matter what, and Mole and Skunk find themselves having a good time on their own. After all, a party for two is still a party. Soft, muted artwork depicts an utterly cozy and enchanting world. The illustrations are filled with a trove of delightful details, from the books in Mole’s chambers to hidden gems in the dirt surrounding the tunnels. Mole’s self-talk (“I never know what to say…” “It’s always so awkward”) is endearing and all too relatable. Ultimately, Tatsukawa brings this tale to a satisfying conclusion that lets young introverts know that they can have fun on their own terms. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sensitive, funny, yet deeply thoughtful exploration of difficult feelings. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781250869647
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
PERSPECTIVES
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...
Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.
Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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