Personalities don’t usually change as quickly as Hannah’s does, but the strategy introduced that prompts it is a sound one.
A girl with enthusiasm to spare has some trouble making new friends at school, just as she did with a new neighbor in her eponymous debut (2017).
The first few spreads showing Hannah with her family demonstrate that Hannah can be a bit much to take. She “hugs” the mail carrier around the neck from behind, and her glitter bomb doesn’t go over well with her grandmother, who uses a walker. Hannah has strong opinions, and she shares them, often neglecting to listen to others. This means her first day of first grade doesn’t go as she imagined. In fact, it’s pretty miserable. Then Hannah’s teacher encourages her to visit the “refill station,” where she can have some quiet time to “Sit. Think. Refill. Then come try again.” Without classmates to talk to, Hannah is forced to watch and listen, and soon she’s ready to try using those skills with her new friends. While it’s hard to swallow that Hannah shifts modes so easily, the idea of a refill station is one that readers can try on their own or with teacher help. Brantley-Newton’s hand-sketched digital illustrations keep the focus on the characters’ emotions, their faces and body language spot-on. Hannah presents white with brown hair, her class is diverse, and her teacher has light-brown skin and brown hair.
Personalities don’t usually change as quickly as Hannah’s does, but the strategy introduced that prompts it is a sound one. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 18, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-06-232234-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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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