A lovely, cousinly twist on the new-baby story
Loretta is excited to find the perfect gift for her new baby cousin.
Loretta’s aunt Esme and uncle Jax are expecting a new baby. Loretta’s mom knits a furry hat, her dad buys a pile of diapers, Uncle Jax builds a cradle, and Aunt Esme fills the nursery with family photos. As the gifts pile up, Loretta realizes she doesn’t have anything to give to the new baby. Even as she frets, Loretta actively takes part in loving and caring for Gabe, till on his first birthday, Aunt Esme assures Loretta that she is the best gift Gabe has ever gotten. Loretta comes to acknowledge that Aunt Esme is right—and that Gabe can never outgrow her love. This warm and affectionate tale will engage readers. Marley’s artwork is whimsically earthy, featuring muted greens and rich browns and weaving in leaves, flowers, and touches of nature as accents. She depicts Loretta, her parents, and Aunt Esme with brown skin and Afro-textured black hair; Uncle Jax has pale skin and straight, brown hair. The important message that quality time is as valuable as gifts bought in a store is familiar and always appreciated. Lovers of Family, by Isabell Monk and illustrated by Janice Lee Porter (2001), and Home in the Rain, by Bob Graham (2017), will enjoy this adorable story featuring a multicultural family.
A lovely, cousinly twist on the new-baby story . (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 14, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0681-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2018
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love.
A child in search of the best hugger takes a bedtime tour of the world’s most unusual embraces.
In the opening pages of this rhyming picture book, an unnamed narrator asks a curly-haired, tan-skinned child who they think gives the best hugs. At the narrator’s behest, the protagonist spends their bedtime routine receiving affection from a wacky cast of creatures, ranging from meerkats to porcupines to narwhals. These animals have a variety of body types, but even those with a lack of limbs still express their love; the seahorse, for example, gives the child a “smooch” right before bathtime, and a grinning cobra offers the child a “clinch,” wrapping itself around their leg. Although many of the animals prove to be more prickly than cozy—the narrator points out, for example, the sharpness of bird beaks and porcupine quills—even the snuggliest koalas and bears cannot compare to the best hug of all: a parent’s embrace right before bedtime. The use of second-person address combined with the protagonist’s beautifully illustrated facial expressions and the buoyant, clever lines of verse render this book a hilarious and whimsical ride sure to delight both children and the adults who read to them. The pictures and text work together to create a clear narrative arc for the protagonist, and though the ending is a bit predictable, it’s nevertheless a wonderful payoff. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A delightfully silly celebration of familial love. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Jan. 24, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-5476-1236-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Oct. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
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