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MY MONSTER AND ME

Name: MY MONSTER AND ME
Author: Nadiya Hussain
ISBN: 978-0-593-35076-8

by Nadiya Hussain ; illustrated by Ella Bailey ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2021

Charming and effective.

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A child learns to manage the monster that has overwhelmed them.

Narrating in first person, a small, brown child introduces readers to their monster: a large, yellow, furry creature with horns and a wide-eyed smile. The monster has always been there—always big and loud. The monster hides when family members come around, so the child can’t get help getting rid of it. The monster gets “bossier,” telling the child what to wear and preventing them from going outside to play with friends. One day, the monster is waiting for the child after school, and the child can’t take it anymore. Telling Gran all about the monster…suddenly makes the monster shrink. After that, the monster isn’t so scary anymore. British cooking personality Hussain personalizes this tale with a note about her own panic disorder, which inspired her to write this story to support children in naming and understanding “worries, anxiety and panic.” The direct-address narration and Bailey’s illustrations work together remarkably well to provide a poignant tool to do just that. With sweet pictures that show how things can change, this accessible tale will empower children to identify and speak about their worries, taking control away from their “monsters” and letting them enjoying their lives. (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 78% of actual size.)

Charming and effective. (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: March 2, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-35076-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
SPREADING MY WINGS
by Nadiya Hussain ; illustrated by Ella Bailey

- BOOK REVIEW
TODAY I'M STRONG
by Nadiya Hussain ; illustrated by Ella Bailey

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CARPENTER'S HELPER

by Sybil Rosen ; illustrated by Camille Garoche ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 16, 2021

Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

by Alice Schertle ; illustrated by Jill McElmurry ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 25, 2025

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.

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In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.

Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”

A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)