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HAIR, IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR

Name: HAIR, IT'S A FAMILY AFFAIR
Author: Mylo Freeman
ISBN: 978-1-911115-68-7

by Mylo Freeman ; illustrated by Mylo Freeman ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 17, 2019

A fine mirror book for kids with textured hair that has endless possibilities. (Picture book. 4-8)

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A family with hair worth talking about stars in a book that embraces inclusion.

Macy tells her classmates about all the different types of hair and hairstyles in her black family. Grandma’s amazing Afro when she was younger is now a neat gray one. Baby sister has bright red puffy hair that she will let only Macy brush. Big sister and her friends have locs, braids, and an Afro, and cousin Kiki’s hair is a different color every time Macy sees her. The book’s most heartwarming illustration features a double-page spread of Mum combing big sister’s hair, who pats one of Macy’s puffballs, who plays in baby’s hair. Hair is truly a family affair! The vibrantly colored (perhaps watercolor) illustrations feature different types of diversity among the all-black characters: One of big sister’s friends appears to be gender nonconforming, wearing a tie, shorts, and cornrows wound into two big bantu knots; one of Macy’s classmates appears to have albinism, and Macy’s best friend, Troy, aspires to be a famous hairdresser (while Macy intends to be a famous doctor). The endpapers showcase 13 illustrated brown-skinned hair models with flair. Notably, all of the hairstyles in Freeman’s book are natural, which sends a positive message about natural Afro hair free of chemicals or heat for straightening.

A fine mirror book for kids with textured hair that has endless possibilities. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: April 17, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-911115-68-7

Page Count: 28

Publisher: Cassava Republic Press

Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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SMILE WITH AFRICAN STYLE
by Mylo Freeman ; illustrated by Mylo Freeman

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by Mylo Freeman ; illustrated by Mylo Freeman

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THE WORLD NEEDS THE WONDER YOU SEE

by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 28, 2025

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children.

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Interior decorator and TV personality Gaines invites readers to open their eyes and exercise their imaginations.

There’s a world to be explored out there—and only children can really take part. What does “looking for wonder” entail? Slowing down and looking up, around, and everywhere. At the outset, a group of eager, racially diverse young friends—including one who uses a wheelchair—are fully prepared for a grand adventure. They offer tips about how and where to look: Why, there’s a “grand parade” of marching ants! And, these kids add, perspective is key. A rainy day might signal gloom to some, but to those filled with wonder, showers bring “magic puddles for play”; a forest is “an enchanted world,” the ocean conceals “a spectacular city,” and the night sky boasts “extraordinary sights.” The takeaway: “Wonder is never in short supply.” It’s a robust, empowering message, as is the exhortation to “keep your mind open, and let curiosity guide the way.” Youngsters are also advised to share their discoveries. The upbeat narrative is delivered in clunky verse, but the colorful cartoonish illustrations brimming with activity and good cheer (including some adorable anthropomorphized animals in the backgrounds) make up for the textual lapses and should motivate readers to embark on their own “wonder explorations.”

Handy advice for perpetually inquisitive children. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2025

ISBN: 9781400247417

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tommy Nelson

Review Posted Online: today

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
THE WORLD NEEDS WHO YOU WERE MADE TO BE
by Joanna Gaines ; illustrated by Julianna Swaney

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)