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A PICTURE DAY TO REMEMBER

Emotionally unsuccessful.

Some children dread picture day.

Lola wears her big, floppy red hat every day. It’s so large that it covers her entire face, which is exactly what Lola wants. Her teacher warns her not to bump into anything, but her hat is a necessary shield against embarrassment. But today, Lola realizes that she’s made a mistake and come to school on picture day (something she’s avoided since kindergarten). When the class sets up for their group photo, Lola accidentally ends up right in the middle, and her hat blocks her classmates’ faces. When she moves to the back corner, the photographer still asks to see her face. She finally throws it off to reveal what she’s been trying to hides this entire time—freckles covering her face. The class is silent until a friendly boy, Nassim, shares an idea. When the class gets their photo a few weeks later, they see the memorable results. Text-heavy pages feel overdone with figurative comparisons. The illustrations are simple enough, with what looks like paint washes and pencil markings. Boelens often chooses a very wide lens, and the excessive distance separates readers from the character physically as well as emotionally. An Asian-presenting teacher leads the diverse class, which includes light-skinned Lola and tan-skinned Nassim. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Emotionally unsuccessful. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: March 7, 2023

ISBN: 9781605377285

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Clavis

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023

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LITTLE BLUE TRUCK AND RACER RED

From the Little Blue Truck series

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

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A THOUSAND YEARS

A sweet notion that falls flat.

A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.

Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.

A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2025

ISBN: 9780593622599

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025

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