Young people will readily respond to this skillful rendition of free-floating unhappiness—and to its satisfying antidote.
Can a kitten remain out of sorts when he’s double-teamed by a resourceful mama and a beloved friend?
It’s touch-and-go for most of the story as cranky Pavlo, clad in striped pajamas, rejects his mother’s suggestions about how they could spend the day. Not the park: “The swings are too swingy, the sandbox is too sandy, and…the slide is too SLIDEY!” Swimming is out, because “the water is too wet and…the fishies will nibble my toes!” The dark mood of the down-in-the-dumps, gray kitten is mitigated by Shaloshvili’s playful language and the light touch she employs as Pavlo imagines Mama’s proposed scenarios. Children will especially chuckle when Pavlo considers going to the movies; a dog, sitting next to a chicken, reaches over the seat to grab a handful of a distracted elephant’s popcorn. Despite the protagonist’s protests, the activities all look like great fun, and the softly textured acrylic, watercolor pencil, and digital illustrations create a cozy community of cheerful animals. After the grumpy youngster hears his friend Mila’s voice outside, he finally entertains Mama’s ideas; Mila’s hug helps even more, as does some ice cream. Featuring brilliantly rendered visuals with a tactile quality that will have readers eagerly poring over the pages, this clever tale captures the intensity of a youngster’s bad mood—and the speed with which it can transform into a good one.
Young people will readily respond to this skillful rendition of free-floating unhappiness—and to its satisfying antidote. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9781536235548
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2024
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
The combination of lovingly humorous and detailed mixed-media illustrations and infectious rhymes will cause little ones and...
More than skin deep, this rhyming paean to diversity offers readers an array of families of all colors and orientations, living and loving one another in a vibrant city setting.
A giggling baby is tummy-tickled by her white and black mothers (or white mother and black father—impressively, the illustration leaves room for interpretation) in New York’s Central Park in its summertime glory. "This is how we all begin: / small and happy in our skin." This celebration of skin not only extols the beauty and value of various skin colors, but also teaches the importance of skin as an essential body part: “It keeps the outsides out / and your insides in.” Park, public-pool, and block-party scenes allow readers to luxuriate in a teeming city where children of all colors, abilities, and religions enjoy their families and neighbors. The author and illustrator do not simply take a rote, tokenistic approach to answering the cry for diverse books; the words and pictures depict a much-needed, realistic representation of the statement “it takes a village to raise a child” when a child skins her knee and many rush to her aid and comfort. Though her palette of browns is a little limited, Tobia creates sheer joy with her depictions of everything from unibrows, dimples, and birthmarks to callouts to recognizable literary characters.
The combination of lovingly humorous and detailed mixed-media illustrations and infectious rhymes will cause little ones and their families to pore over this book again and again. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-7002-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 11, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
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