A happy, age-appropriate book that keeps baby as the center of attention—right where babies should be!
This baby-centric board book has just what is needed to delight the baby in your arms.
Namely, a 4-inch mirror seen through circular frames on every page. The frames make easy handholds when baby is ready to turn each page. The text goes from the general, opening with “Where is baby?” to the particular: “Where is baby’s nose?” These questions are posed on verso; on the opposite page, above the mirror, it states the obvious: “There is baby’s nose!” Below the mirror a related action is suggested. “Can you touch baby’s nose?” The pattern of prompts is repeated with ears, eyes, cheeks, and mouth. On each spread, the action word is in a larger font, colored to match the circle around the mirror. The feature mentioned on each spread is highlighted by the illustrations. When baby is asked to pat their cheeks, a nursery-style fox, giraffe, and pink octopus are shown patting their cheeks. Some of the illustrations are less directly linked and seem mostly decorative. The pages about eyes show animals looking at books, though the suggested action is “Can you close baby’s eyes?” No matter; illustrating eyes closing would have been too abstract. The focus here is on naming common facial features and concrete, easily repeated actions.
A happy, age-appropriate book that keeps baby as the center of attention—right where babies should be! (Board book. 0-3)Pub Date: June 8, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7092-3
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
For every dreaming girl (and boy) with a pencil in hand (or keyboard) and a story to share.
A multiaward–winning author recalls her childhood and the joy of becoming a writer.
Writing in free verse, Woodson starts with her 1963 birth in Ohio during the civil rights movement, when America is “a country caught / / between Black and White.” But while evoking names such as Malcolm, Martin, James, Rosa and Ruby, her story is also one of family: her father’s people in Ohio and her mother’s people in South Carolina. Moving south to live with her maternal grandmother, she is in a world of sweet peas and collards, getting her hair straightened and avoiding segregated stores with her grandmother. As the writer inside slowly grows, she listens to family stories and fills her days and evenings as a Jehovah’s Witness, activities that continue after a move to Brooklyn to reunite with her mother. The gift of a composition notebook, the experience of reading John Steptoe’s Stevieand Langston Hughes’ poetry, and seeing letters turn into words and words into thoughts all reinforce her conviction that “[W]ords are my brilliance.” Woodson cherishes her memories and shares them with a graceful lyricism; her lovingly wrought vignettes of country and city streets will linger long after the page is turned.
For every dreaming girl (and boy) with a pencil in hand (or keyboard) and a story to share. (Memoir/poetry. 8-12)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-399-25251-8
Page Count: 336
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2014
Essential.
A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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