This celebration of the universality of cooking to convey love is both familiar and satisfying.
When Nai Nai declares it’s time to make bao, grandchild Lili is thrilled!
Baos are Lili’s favorite food, and thanks to Nai Nai, Lili knows the eight secrets to making delicious baos. But Nai Nai doesn’t have the cabbage leaves she needs for secret No. 8 (a discovery that elicits the Chinese expostulation “Zao gao!”), so Lili visits a neighbor to ask for some. Nearly every grandmotherly neighbor also needs an integral ingredient to make dumplings from their respective cultural cuisines. Lili helpfully runs about the building taking ingredients from one person to another. Finally, plates and steamers and bowls of dumplings are brought outside to celebrate the arrival of Lili’s new baby brother, swaddled in blankets like a “little dumpling treasure.” Like a good dumpling, the elements of this story are well known yet the combination is reassuring. Lili’s narration tells a linear story filled with cheerful interactions with kindly neighbors. The textured, brightly colored illustrations exude warmth. Depictions of characters and items in their homes match the cultures of their names. For instance, pierogi-cooking Babcia has pale skin and white hair, and her apartment is adorned with Eastern European objects and patterns. A detailed recipe for Nai Nai’s baos is appended, and all the various dumplings are highlighted and named on the endpapers.
This celebration of the universality of cooking to convey love is both familiar and satisfying. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-324-00342-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2021
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
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
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
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