Though it encounters a few bumps along the way, this tale ultimately soars.
An Indian girl faces down a rival with her brother.
It’s Sankranti, “the Indian festival of kites,” and Mini wants to join in the fun. But when she asks her brother, Bhai, for a turn flying the kite, he scoffs, “Kites aren’t for little girls!” Determined to prove him wrong, Mini designs her own “not-so-perfect” kite, which, despite her best efforts, simply refuses to fly. Although Bhai initially laughs at her struggles, he finally shows her how to get her kite into the air. Mini is overjoyed to see her kite join those of her neighbors flying over her community’s rooftops—until a red kite flown by someone they can’t see slices through Bhai’s kite string, ending his fun. “KAI PO CHE!” yells the unseen attacker as the kite flies away. Can Mini stand up to the red kite’s owner…or at least protect her own kite from being stolen? The narrative’s abrupt switch from Mini’s attempts to prove her brother wrong to her focus on the red kite makes for somewhat uneven storytelling. Still, confident, creative Mini will delight kids. Filled with bright, geometric shapes, Oza’s artwork sets a whimsical tone; scenes involving the kite festival are particularly charming, as is a montage of Mini painstakingly designing her own kite.
Though it encounters a few bumps along the way, this tale ultimately soars. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9781957655406
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Gnome Road Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 23, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2025
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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