A funny, delightful argument both for and against a hermitic life.
Mother Bruce wants to escape the size—and chaos—of his family.
This crotchety, black-and–dark-indigo bear now fully accepts that the four goslings he accidentally adopted (Mother Bruce, 2015) are his forever children and that, although they’re grown now, they’re not leaving home. They even sleep on top of him. He can’t accept, however, the presence of three mice who once commandeered his house for a hotel (Hotel Bruce, 2016). They’re adults (one has a mustache), but they sleep atop Bruce with the geese; they soak in Bruce’s teacup; they rope the geese into messy games (literally, during one cowboy lasso scene). Direct marching orders fail. Poor, misanthropic Bruce! Higgins conveys sympathy for Bruce (who is both male and a mother, no explanation particularly needed), beset by noise and chaos, without censuring the mice too harshly. Bruce’s idea to move house and leave the mice behind is a failure, naturally. Readers can sympathize with grumpy Bruce while also cheering for the geese, nonverbal but expressive, when their beloved mice siblings return. The illustrations feature deft, fine-lined details and luminous, softly-textured backgrounds. The full-bleed spreads are hilarious, especially one showing everyone in a bubble bath, Bruce scowling, suds overflowing, the geese and mice sporting snorkels and masks.
A funny, delightful argument both for and against a hermitic life. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-368-00354-4
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Sept. 20, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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
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