A little girl’s walk to school takes a whimsical turn in this energetic tale from Fitz-Gibbon (The Patchwork House, not reviewed). With her exuberant tootsies shod in brand-new shoes, the young girl cavorts across town. Jaunty rhymes set in a rhythmic cadence propel the verses along as the child’s glee transforms a mundane walk into an exotic adventure. “Mustn’t stop to talk, shoes, / Got too far to walk, shoes!” Fitz-Gibbon’s playful blend of realism and ingenious flights of fancy are infectious. A stroll through the park soon takes on the appearance of a daring safari; readers will be swept along by the child’s enthusiasm as she envisions doing some fancy footwork with a blue baboon on the moon, munching cheese with dangling chimpanzees, and so forth. Zaman’s striking illustrations, depicting the bustling beehive of activity that is a city landscape, effortlessly segues from the actual to the fantastical. Her unique perspectives remain grounded in realism; populated crowd scenes are drawn from the view of the child, with only the other children fully visible amid the mass of torsos and legs of the taller adults. Jolly good fun, Fitz-Gibbon’s tale illuminates for the novitiate what bliss can be brought forth by the acquisition of some new footgear and a sprinkling of imagination. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2003
ISBN: 1-55041-729-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2002
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 heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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