A charming, intergenerational story of compassion, creativity, and community.
In Buzzeo’s latest, a grandfather and grandchild establish a sidewalk pantry for their neighborhood.
Jelly Bean and Pa, who present Black, have a sidewalk library full of free books for their community. However, Jelly Bean declares, “We need food as much as we need books”—especially with Jelly Bean’s mom out of work. Pa agrees and asks, “So, what do you propose?” In Pa’s workshop, one of Jelly Bean’s favorite places, they build a wooden cabinet using recycled wood and set the new pantry next to the library. The new sign, painted by Jelly Bean, tells passersby to “read all you want” and “take all you need.” Later, after some of the food the two of them place inside the pantry is taken, Jelly Bean discovers a handwritten note of gratitude from an anonymous friend. The heartwarming gesture inspires the child, who, along with Pa, organizes an outreach strategy to involve their neighbors. They knock on doors and hang flyers throughout their vibrant, diverse neighborhood to request book and food donations. This energizes their entire community and results in a collective effort to keep both the library and pantry stocked. Buzzeo has written a timely book on the underrated power of libraries and mutual aid. Hoang’s delicate use of colored pencil and watercolor gives the tale an endearing and pleasant touch. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A charming, intergenerational story of compassion, creativity, and community. (more information on the Little Free Pantries movement, tips on helping fight hunger) (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9781419749377
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted...
Reinvention is the name of the game for two blobs of clay.
A blue-eyed gray blob and a brown-eyed brown blob sit side by side, unsure as to what’s going to happen next. The gray anticipates an adventure, while the brown appears apprehensive. A pair of hands descends, and soon, amid a flurry of squishing and prodding and poking and sculpting, a handsome gray wolf and a stately brown owl emerge. The hands disappear, leaving the friends to their own devices. The owl is pleased, but the wolf convinces it that the best is yet to come. An ear pulled here and an extra eye placed there, and before you can shake a carving stick, a spurt of frenetic self-exploration—expressed as a tangled black scribble—reveals a succession of smug hybrid beasts. After all, the opportunity to become a “pig-e-phant” doesn’t come around every day. But the sound of approaching footsteps panics the pair of Picassos. How are they going to “fix [them]selves” on time? Soon a hippopotamus and peacock are staring bug-eyed at a returning pair of astonished hands. The creative naiveté of the “clay mates” is perfectly captured by Petty’s feisty, spot-on dialogue: “This was your idea…and it was a BAD one.” Eldridge’s endearing sculpted images are photographed against the stark white background of an artist’s work table to great effect.
The dynamic interaction between the characters invites readers to take risks, push boundaries, and have a little unscripted fun of their own . (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: June 20, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-316-30311-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
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