The environmental messaging is staid, but the artwork is sweet.
A father deer introduces his fawn (and readers) to the wonders of nature and the importance of caring for our world.
The gently rhyming stanzas take readers from a meadow filled with monarchs to an acorn that will grow into a massive tree that protects numerous animals to a waterfall and the edge of the sea. All the while, the adult imparts environmental lessons: “With every step, tread gently. / We must treat our world with care. / Let’s only take the things we need; / there’s plenty here to share.” The world is for everyone, from birds to whales, and it’s so big the duo might never see it all. While the message is an important one, Temple sometimes crosses the line into preachiness, reducing the book’s efficacy: “At times you might feel tiny, / like the smallest drop of rain. / But you can make a difference, too. / Come here and I’ll explain….” By working together, the adult deer continues, they can do anything. The softly colored artwork is full of tiny details that will enthrall children: A tiny mouse clings to a flower stem, birds dive into the ocean, an owl sleeps the day away. All the animals are adorable and have lightly anthropomorphized facial expressions, though the male deer–fawn dynamic will strike kids familiar with deer biology as unrealistic.
The environmental messaging is staid, but the artwork is sweet. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 23, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-68010-246-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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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