A sweet book for budding musicians.
After hearing the beautiful notes of “Clair de lune” float down from her violinist neighbor’s window, little mouse Nora dreams of learning to play the violin herself.
With all the enthusiasm and determination a young child can muster, Nora takes her family to the music store, where they all suggest different instruments for her. Maybe a xylophone? Banjo? Anything but a “screeching violin!” opines big sister Kate. But Nora is dead set on a violin, so her excitement is palpable when her music teacher, Mrs. Yamamoto, shows up for her first lesson. As expected, there are a lot of twangs, shrieks, and whines to be heard before a tune begins to be found. But Nora has a goal in mind, so she keeps at it to meet her Sept. 1 deadline and surprise her family. The theme of practice and hard work paying off in the end, coupled with the support of a loving family (albeit with slightly annoyed siblings), makes this a lovely read with kids. With one significant and uncharacteristic hiccup, the rhyming text flows easily and in exactly the same pattern as Noisy Nora’s eponymous debut (1973), making it a solid read-aloud. It is full of bright, cheery, and funny illustrations in Wells’ familiar style, but her decision to dress Mrs. Yamamoto in a kimono has the unfortunate effect of exoticizing her in this otherwise Western setting.
A sweet book for budding musicians. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 28, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-101-99923-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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 good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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