An earnest, slightly preachy call to action to look after one another.
One brave act of kindness can be a catalyst for peace.
Mountain families and valley families live in a lush environment, surrounded by terraced farms and verdant meadows. They both depend on water for sustenance and survival, using it to grow crops, wash clothes, and more. But the changing climate causes the water level to rise and fall, wreaking havoc on this bucolic existence and causing strife. Neither group wants to help the other, preferring to guard their own precious resources. When severe floods put the valley people in a precarious situation, a mountain child insists that the mountain people step in and help their neighbors. This first step begins a cascade of subsequent acts of kindness that eventually restore peace. Using simple and somewhat didactic prose, Shuster and Soetoro-Ng present the lesson of the golden rule in, fittingly, the form of a parable. Gardel alternates between warm and cool palettes, depicting a racially diverse cast of people, and inserts motifs like the sun and the moon to emphasize the importance of nature to these people’s lives. Her style evokes traditional folktales, in which some people have recognizable facial features and others are only simple, colorful forms. The book would be an adequate starting point for curriculum units on compassion, service, and social emotional learning. The work closes with an afterword by Soetoro-Ng, co-founder of the Peace Studio, an organization that helps artists and journalists work toward social change. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An earnest, slightly preachy call to action to look after one another. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9781536207590
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2023
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind.
The cool beans again step up to do a timorous fellow legume a fava…this time at the pool.
Will a rash decision to tackle the multistory super-slide lead to another embarrassing watery fail for our shy protagonist? Nope, for up the stairs right behind comes a trio of cool beans, each a different type and color, all clad in nothing but dark shades. They make an offer: “It’s not as scary if you go with friends!” As the knobby nerd explains once the thrilling ride down is done, “They all realized that I just needed some encouragement and support.” Just to make sure that both cool and uncool readers get the message, the narrator lets us know that “there are plenty of kind folks who have my back. They’re always there when I need them.” The beany bonhomie doesn’t end at the bottom of the slide, with all gliding down to the shallow end of the pool (“3 INCHES. NO DIVING”) for a splashy finale. This latest early reader starring characters from John and Oswald’s immensely popular Food Group series will be a hit with fans. Fun accessories, such as a bean who rocks pink cat-eye frames, add some pizzazz to the chromatically and somatotypically varied cast.
Another quirky take on the series theme that it’s cool to be kind. (Easy reader. 5-7)Pub Date: March 26, 2024
ISBN: 9780063329560
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
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A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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