Perfect for encouraging a decorous bedtime.
Mr. Panda knows how to prepare appropriately for bedtime.
Mr. Panda is not too sleepy to note the steps his many friends have skipped on their ways to bed, and it is clear that, to him, their omissions are evidence of behavior that is simply not up to standard. To a hippo whose wide-open jaws appear to emit wafts of bad breath, Mr. Panda says, from his own bubbly bath, “You’ve forgotten to brush your teeth,” and to an apparently stinky skunk, “You’ve forgotten to take a bath.” The hippo and the skunk promise to remedy their lapses at some future point, but a lemur that breaks the frame from above happily claims to have a “minty fresh” mouth and to be “squeaky clean.” Mr. Panda’s pajamas are decorated with multicolored doughnuts, and the matching stocking cap perched on his head is tiny, yet he manages to convey his usual sense of forbearance and dignity. Sheep in nothing but their wool tell Mr. Panda that they don’t wear pajamas, but the lemur sports suitably stripy ones. Though Mr. Panda shows his vulnerable side as he succumbs to sleep at last, the contrast between Mr. Panda’s monumental seriousness and all the other story elements (such as the bright-eyed panda cuddly toy he takes with him to bed) is hilarious and charming.
Perfect for encouraging a decorous bedtime. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-338-27595-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2018
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love.
Grammy Award–winning singer/songwriter Monét’s picture-book debut reassures the very young that their caregivers are always watching over them.
A smiling yellow star watches the equally cheerful moon; both are heavily anthropomorphized, with eyelashes for the moon and pink cheeks for the star. A page turn reveals the star, now downcast and in the corner of a mostly dark spread: “Sometimes the sky is dark and you can’t see the moon at all.” The following spread, depicting a sparkly sky with both characters back in view, reminds children that the moon is there, even when it’s not visible: “Think of me as the moon / It’s always in the sky / Just like I will forever be / a bright light in your life.” Both orbs beam. “I’ll always be your moon / You’ll always be my star / Just keep me in your heart and / I’ll be everywhere you are.” This becomes the refrain after a few more verses that continue the theme of the moon as a metaphor for emotionally present, ever-loving caregivers. Little ones will happily repeat the words as they’re lulled to sleep. The book ends with a heartfelt dedication from the author to her daughter and to parents who balance caregiving duties with careers. Monét notes that she set out to show children that their parents’ devotion endures no matter what—a goal achieved by both text and art.
A soothing bedtime reminder of a parent’s unconditional love. (Picture book. 2-4)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780593698419
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
SEEN & HEARD
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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