A meditative, moving tale that will spur readers to make sense of their own feelings.
A young boy learns to name complex emotions with guidance from his father.
Rajiv experiences a variety of feelings, from confidence and happiness to impatience, anger, and frustration. One evening, he’s angry but doesn’t know why. His sympathetic father shows him a trick to help him articulate his feelings. As the two stroll through the park and climb the tallest tree to gaze at the night sky, Rajiv’s dad encourages him to visualize his feelings in the constellations. Dad points to a group of stars that form “the shape of my happiness”: a vision of him cooking. Rajiv squints at the sky until he sees his happiness—an image of him playing catch on the moon. The pair identify other feelings such as shyness, gentleness, hurt, and loneliness. His father points out his own feelings of anger, which helps Rajiv realize why he was upset. Teaching Rajiv life lessons in a gentle yet practical way, Dad explains that emotions guide our actions, just as constellations helped early explorers to find their way and astronauts to navigate through the darkness of space. This is an inspiring story that links astral wonders to everyday emotions. With swirls of color, the dazzling illustrations create a sense of wonder that fires up the imagination. Rajiv and his father are of Indian descent. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A meditative, moving tale that will spur readers to make sense of their own feelings. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Oct. 3, 2023
ISBN: 9781915244574
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lantana
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
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
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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