Forget staying up to wait for Santa Claus. After reading this, kids will clamor to investigate someone a little closer to...
It’s not all DJ dance parties and hot-fudge fountains when parents stay up late…or is it?
Why are parents so dead set on getting their children to bed? Because of the wild parties they throw every night, obviously! So imagines Joseph, and tonight the freckled white boy is going to crack the code of silence surrounding his parents’ nighttime high jinks. Fantasizing about the delectable desserts, pirate puppet shows, and ninja acrobatics that must take place, he takes every precaution to avoid detection in pursuit of the truth. Yet what he finds at the bottom of the stairs shocks him. They don’t do anything at all! Or…is that just what they want him to believe? There is obvious pleasure to be had from Joseph’s far-reaching fantasies and their increasingly cockamamie absurdity (the “tuba mariachi marching band” is a particularly nice touch). Illustrator Wake’s digital art works in hints of the parents’ true activities, rewarding sharp-eyed spotters; while Joseph’s parents are also white, some of the other figures in Joseph’s fantasies are people of color.
Forget staying up to wait for Santa Claus. After reading this, kids will clamor to investigate someone a little closer to home. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 25, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-4952-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
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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