by Melissa Marr ; illustrated by Marcos Almada Rivero ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 5, 2024
Cute but forgettable.
A baby chick wonders why he’s the only animal with two moms.
Before leaving for his first day of school, Chick receives a note from his teacher (mysteriously bypassing his parents) suggesting that he ask his mom, his dad, or an older brother or sister to walk him to school. But Chick has two moms (though no siblings), and he doesn’t want to choose between them, so he decides to walk to school alone. Along the way, he encounters a variety of families: some headed by single parents, others with multiple siblings, and even one with an older sister as a guardian (but none with grandparents or unrelated adults as guardians, who would presumably be in an even bigger pickle than Chick). Seeing these relatively diverse families may be reassuring for readers but does not soothe Chick’s anxiety, and when another classmate asks Chick why he came alone, he responds, “The note said ‘mom or dad, big brother or sister.’ What could I do?” The premise quickly falls apart, as it isn’t clear why Chick believes he couldn’t invite one or both of his mothers. When he finally asks his parents why he has two moms, he’s given a loving non-answer: “Every family is different.” With a strained plot and nothing new to say, there’s little to recommend this title instead of another picture book about gay parents. Still, the art is appealing, full of both bright and subtle color, and the baby animals are adorable.
Cute but forgettable. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9780593462515
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 16, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2024
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by Melissa Marr ; illustrated by Teagan White
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
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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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
by Eva Mendes ; illustrated by Abbey Bryant ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 17, 2024
Practical, if somewhat fluffy, bedtime guidance, hampered by muddled prose.
In actor Mendes’ debut picture book, an anxious young sleeper learns to overcome scary nighttime thoughts with help from Mami.
A cry shatters the peaceful night. “MAMI! There’s a monster under my bed!” Mami rushes to Desi’s room, where no monsters await. Instead, worries plague the young girl. Is Desi’s brain the real monster? Mami quells those fears. After all, the brain holds many jobs (“learning new things, solving problems”), but sometimes it brings unwanted thoughts, almost like a bully. With encouragement from her mom, Desi realizes that she’s the boss of her rogue mind. She can try to separate herself from pushy thoughts to feel calm; she can even blow negative thoughts away with the might of positive ones. It just takes a little patience. Brava! Perhaps bedtime isn’t so scary. Mendes tackles the delicate matter of nighttime woes—familiar to children and adults alike—with compassion, framing her tale as a discussion between mother and daughter. The often clunky text disrupts the otherwise serene tone. Still, though the advice is a bit pat, many readers will find it useful. Rich with purples, blues, and pinks among interludes of puffy white clouds, Bryant’s pitch-perfect artwork serves the text well; Desi’s anthropomorphic brain, clad in a nightcap, is an especially fun addition. Desi and Mami read Latine.
Practical, if somewhat fluffy, bedtime guidance, hampered by muddled prose. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2024
ISBN: 9781250867438
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2024
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