A quick yet meaningful exploration of the relationship between names and identity.
Feeling like she’s grown out of her nickname, Gigi tries other names.
One morning at breakfast, Gigi, a biracial child whose mother is Japanese and whose father presents White, asks why her family calls her Gigi when her name is Geraldine. When her mom explains that Geraldine was hard for her to say when she was little, Gigi decides that since she isn’t a baby anymore, she’d like to go by her real name. But her real name is so long to write and hard for Ojiji, her Japanese grandfather, to say. She quickly agrees when he suggests using her much shorter middle name, Hanako. Soon, she realizes Hanako doesn’t feel like her, and she doesn’t know what to do. With the help of Ojiji and her mother, however, Gigi finds the perfect name. This latest in the series following Gigi and her grandfather is a probing look at how names can be a big part of identity and are often rooted in cultural meaning. The colorful cartoon art adds emotion and context that could help readers decipher words. The intergenerational relationship is lovingly portrayed as Gigi and Ojiji draw together; he even teaches her how to write Hanako in Japanese characters. A glossary contains a few Japanese words used in the story but no pronunciation guide.
A quick yet meaningful exploration of the relationship between names and identity. (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 3, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-06-320809-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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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