A sweet tale about coming together to enjoy home-grown food.
In this picture book, a community garden is the scene of a delightful vegetable feast.
Grandpa’s community garden is full of vegetable wonders that bring people together from all walks of life. One by one, Gardella introduces readers to each of the ingredients for a healthy meal that the grandkids assemble. They begin with that classic staple, lettuce, then move on to radishes, celery, and more. The author describes the appearance and role of each part of the salad: “These are the beets, pickled or plain, / Painting the lettuce with their rich, red stain, / And bringing some softness to the luscious salad / That comes from Grandpa’s garden.” Confusingly, Gardella’s verse style echoes that of the classic rhyme “This Is the House That Jack Built,” but misses the opportunity for each line to build on the previous one to create a long, continuous string of steps for salad-making. As the meal takes shape, readers will find that one of the most important additions to the salad does not grow in the garden, but instead is the multiracial family that sits around the table to eat it. Donnelly’s brightly colored, highly detailed illustrations demonstrate how to prepare the ingredients, such as putting the lettuce in a salad spinner and grating the carrots. Together with Donnelly’s instructive pictures, this engaging story encourages sustainable practices and a community mindset in its readers, who may still be learning where their food comes from.
A sweet tale about coming together to enjoy home-grown food.Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9781959412274
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Self
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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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