This warm picture book of familial love and history brings alive a meaningful Bangladeshi tradition.
Brown-skinned, dark-haired Asiya loves her nanu’s (grandmother’s) katha chest and the katha quilts they hold.
The light quilts are made of stitched-together layers of old saris that her nanu, her mother, and her khalas (aunts) don’t wear anymore. Asiya loves hearing the wonderful family stories these heirloom quilts tell; illustrations inspired by Pattachitra and Bengali folk art dramatize the stories in wordless panels on double-page spreads. They recall important times, happy as well as difficult, when the saris were worn by bold women in Asiya’s family. The artwork throughout is vibrant and colorful, with gorgeously patterned quilts, and adds a deeper historical layer to the text. Asiya’s family members have dark hair and skin tones in various shades of brown. As they come together to pore over the quilts, drink tea, and tell family stories, they wear clothing typical of people in the Bengal and Bangladesh regions of India, including headscarves. Some of the vernacular from those regions is used in the text, the words neither italicized nor explained, which may be confusing to some readers but doesn’t other Bengali and Bangladeshi people. In brief notes at the end, Chowdhury and Naidu share about the importance of saris and katha quilts in their lives. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
This warm picture book of familial love and history brings alive a meaningful Bangladeshi tradition. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-66590-390-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Salaam Reads/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
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
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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