A celebration of familial warmth and the rewards of maturing sibling relationships.
A young girl discovers the value of mentoring her tag-along little sister in Gardella’s picture book.
Kids and grandmas having fun together are a favorite picture book subject; that’s what’s going on here, as two girls help their jovial grandmother can tomatoes. The author, however, neatly weaves the specifics of tomato canning into a deeper theme: the changing dynamic between a young girl and her little sister. At first, the book’s nameless narrator, who has been her grandma’s only helper at canning time, is dismayed when grandma insists that she bring little sister, Monica, along to help. (“‘She’s too little,’ I complain”). With subtle encouragement from Grandma (a wink of understanding here, a shared giggle there), the narrator (who has fair skin and brown hair) realizes how enjoyable it is to see the experience fresh through Monica’s wide eyes and to offer her guidance and encouragement. The author states that most of her books are inspired by her many years of ranch life—her entertaining description of the canning process, from picking the tomatoes to labeling the jars, is certainly meticulous enough to feel firsthand. The warmth in the text is well matched by Donnelly’s full-color, painterly illustrations that give the well-defined characters life on the page.
A celebration of familial warmth and the rewards of maturing sibling relationships.Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9781959412106
Page Count: 38
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2023
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet notion that falls flat.
A hit song reimagined as a book about parental love.
Featured in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn—Part 1, Perri’s “A Thousand Years” deals with the speaker’s fear of romantic love. In picture-book form, it explores a parent’s unwavering love for a child, who grows from an infant into a toddler over the course of the narrative. The caregiver expresses awe when the youngster learns to stand and fear that the child might fall while beginning to walk. “I have spent every day waiting for you,” the parent says. “Darling, don’t be afraid.” What the child might fear isn’t clear from the joyful balloon- and rainbow-filled illustrations. The story borders on cloying, and words that might work when sung and accompanied by music don’t sound fresh on the page: “Time goes by. / You grow ever stronger as you fly.” The refrain, however, is a lovely sentiment: “I have loved you for a thousand years. / I’ll love you for a thousand more.” Perri’s legion of fans may flock to this version, illustrated by Ruiz with sparkling stars, bubbles, and big-eyed toddlers, but it doesn’t hold together as a narrative or an ode, as it’s billed, and it’s a long way from the original song. The child is tan-skinned, the parent is lighter-skinned, and other characters are diverse.
A sweet notion that falls flat. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9780593622599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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
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