Informative and reassuring.
A child faces big changes when Mama is diagnosed with cancer.
Cancer, Mama says, is a “big sick.” But she might be better in a year if she listens to her doctor, and then she’ll get to ring a bell to celebrate her last day of chemotherapy. The young narrator relates how Mama receives chemo through a port, loses her hair, and experiences fatigue. Mama explains that cancer isn’t contagious and is nobody’s fault. Sometimes it’s hard; Mama’s port makes cuddling difficult, and she’s too tired to play much. But the family’s love shines through as Pink’s cozy cartoon illustrations mark the passing year, including their Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Hanukkah celebrations. Mama and the narrator still snuggle, have a picnic, and, with Daddy’s assistance, observe Kindness Day (a day devoted to helping others). Finally, it’s Mama’s last day of chemo! Kids aren’t allowed in the hospital, but the narrator rings in the joyful moment with Mama via video call. Though readers in similar circumstances may not share the narrator’s abundant support system, including two parents, various friends and relatives, and a counselor, the simple matter-of-fact text and warm illustrations are comforting. An author’s note reveals that the story is based on co-author Vincent’s experience of explaining her breast cancer to her daughter and includes further advice for adults. The family is Jewish and light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Informative and reassuring. (author’s note from Churnin, resources, further reading) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780807580790
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
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)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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