Mikele and her Papa share a special Sunday together eating oatmeal, gardening, fixing the front step, hanging a fish-like windsock, washing the car, and finally enjoying a honey cake and tea break while they exchange presents for Father’s Day. Ribbons of all kinds are Mikele’s fancy as her eagerness and excitement build throughout the morning, imagining ribbons in all the tasks they accomplish, patiently waiting for the right moment to give Papa his gift. The sun’s reflection appears at breakfast on the kitchen wall and Mikele sees “sunshine ribbons.” In the garden she makes a “flowery ribbon” from the purple clover, the windsock delights her with its “flippety ribbons,” and the steam from the teakettle flows like “twirly ribbons.” When the anticipated moment arrives, Mikele proudly gives her purple ribbon “My Papa” badge for her Father’s Day gift and receives a surprise in return. Satin ribbons in her favorite colors of lavender, pink, and periwinkle are from her father, who lovingly and gratefully explains that he could not be a papa without Mikele. Soft, dreamy pastels in muted tones of peach and purple for indoor scenes contrasted with pale greens and aqua blues for outdoor views perfectly complement the gentle and reassuring theme of mutual love and respect between a father and daughter. Ribbon imagery is woven well throughout illustrations and text, making this Father’s Day story a favorite any day of the year. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: April 1, 2003
ISBN: 0-688-13093-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2003
Let these crayons go back into their box.
The Crayons return to celebrate Easter.
Six crayons (Red, Orange, Yellow, Esteban, who is green and wears a yellow cape, White, and Blue) each take a shape and scribble designs on it. Purple, perplexed and almost angry, keeps asking why no one is creating an egg, but the six friends have a great idea. They take the circle decorated with red shapes, the square adorned with orange squiggles “the color of the sun,” the triangle with yellow designs, also “the color of the sun” (a bit repetitious), a rectangle with green wavy lines, a white star, about which Purple remarks: “DID you even color it?” and a rhombus covered with blue markings and slap the shapes onto a big, light-brown egg. Then the conversation turns to hiding the large object in plain sight. The joke doesn’t really work, the shapes are not clear enough for a concept book, and though colors are delineated, it’s not a very original color book. There’s a bit of clever repartee. When Purple observe that Esteban’s green rectangle isn’t an egg, Esteban responds, “No, but MY GOSH LOOK how magnificent it is!” Still, that won’t save this lackluster book, which barely scratches the surface of Easter, whether secular or religious. The multimedia illustrations, done in the same style as the other series entries, are always fun, but perhaps it’s time to retire these anthropomorphic coloring implements. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Let these crayons go back into their box. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 7, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-62105-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
Lola’s daddy takes her to the library every Saturday, where she finds “excellent books,” and every night her mommy or daddy reads them to her. The next day Lola acts out the story. On Sunday she’s a fairy princess; on Monday she takes her toy animals “on fantastic trips to places like Paris”; on Wednesday she’s a tiger, etc. Each new book and day provides Lola with a variety of tales to play out, with the last one—which is about a wild monster—posing the question, “What will Lola be tomorrow?” The final page shows her in a wolf suit just like Max’s. The library books, the pretending and the incorporation of the days of the week work together as a simple and pleasing premise. Beardshaw’s acrylic illustrations depict the multicultural kids and Lola’s black family with childlike charm, while the title will have librarians, parents and booksellers smiling. Alert: The book will be an invitation for lap kids to follow Lola’s lead—not such a bad thing. (Picture book. 3-5)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-1-58089-258-2
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: June 3, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2010
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