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SAFE AT LAST

Name: SAFE AT LAST
Author: Richard Jones
ISBN: 9781536241310

by Richard Jones ; illustrated by Richard Jones ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 20, 2025

By turns fearsome, surprising, and comforting—an ideal adventure for little ones.

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James lives alone in a small house on an island.

Despite his solitude, the light-skinned youngster isn’t lonely at all; each morning he greets his animal friends as he bikes around the island. James enjoys his soothingly predictable routine, but one night, a storm assails the island. Although he’s frightened, he decides to venture out to check on his pals. His familiar terrain has transformed something unfamiliar, and his anxiety only increases when none of his friends appear to be at home. Too frightened to stay outdoors much longer, James heads back to his own house, only to see terrifying-looking shapes through the window. Once safe inside, he finds his friends gathered there, just as worried about him as James was about them. The mutual concern is evident on the characters’ faces—animals and boy. The lyrical, quietly intense language builds tension expertly, while the mixed-media illustrations please the senses, contrasting idyllic scenes with the ferocity of the storm. Jones’ use of color and texture is especially effective; he blends blues, blacks, and whites for a page showing crashing waves that threaten to engulf the island, while he employs warm oranges and browns for his depictions of James’ cozy home.

By turns fearsome, surprising, and comforting—an ideal adventure for little ones. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: May 20, 2025

ISBN: 9781536241310

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN, LITTLE CAT?
by Richard Jones ; illustrated by Richard Jones

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YOSHI, SEA TURTLE GENIUS
by Lynne Cox ; illustrated by Richard Jones

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THROUGH THE NORTH POLE SNOW
by Polly Faber ; illustrated by Richard Jones

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THE COOL BEAN MAKES A SPLASH

From the I Can Read! series

by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 26, 2024

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.

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The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.

Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.

Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)

Pub Date: March 26, 2024

ISBN: 9780063329560

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
EVERYTHING'S WRONG!
by Jory John ; illustrated by Erin Kraan

- BOOK REVIEW
YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS BOOK!
by Jory John ; illustrated by Olivier Tallec

- BOOK REVIEW
THE BIG CHEESE
by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald

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IMANI'S MOON

by JaNay Brown-Wood ; illustrated by Hazel Mitchell ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 14, 2014

While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child...

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Imani endures the insults heaped upon her by the other village children, but she never gives up her dreams.

The Masai girl is tiny compared to the other children, but she is full of imagination and perseverance. Luckily, she has a mother who believes in her and tells her stories that will fuel that imagination. Mama tells her about the moon goddess, Olapa, who wins over the sun god. She tells Imani about Anansi, the trickster spider who vanquishes a larger snake. (Troublingly, the fact that Anansi is a West African figure, not of the Masai, goes unaddressed in both text and author’s note.) Inspired, the tiny girl tries to find new ways to achieve her dream: to touch the moon. One day, after crashing to the ground yet again when her leafy wings fail, she is ready to forget her hopes. That night, she witnesses the adumu, the special warriors’ jumping dance. Imani wakes the next morning, determined to jump to the moon. After jumping all day, she reaches the moon, meets Olapa and receives a special present from the goddess, a small moon rock. Now she becomes the storyteller when she relates her adventure to Mama. The watercolor-and-graphite illustrations have been enhanced digitally, and the night scenes of storytelling and fantasy with their glowing stars and moons have a more powerful impact than the daytime scenes, with their blander colors.

While the blend of folklore, fantasy and realism is certainly far-fetched, Imani, with her winning personality, is a child to be admired. (Picture book. 5-8)