A frankly told, child’s-eye view of the intersection of friendship and socioeconomic status.
A youngster contends with complicated emotions while visiting a friend.
A mother and an unnamed child, who narrates, leave their cozy, humble apartment and set off for Henry Henriksson’s sprawling house. They take two buses and a subway and then must walk. Once they arrive, the protagonist and Henry play hide-and-seek and chase Henry’s dog. In the background, the child’s mother, apparently employed as a housekeeper for Henry’s family, hauls the vacuum up the stairs and squeezes soap into a bucket. On the way home, the protagonist regretfully pulls out a little robot, stolen from Henry’s house and resembling one the young narrator had longingly gazed at in a toy store. The theft has likely put Mom in a bind; she says that they’ll take it back to Henry’s next week, but she seems to understand the feelings of envy that these visits inspire in the child. This Swedish import considers how children make sense of the unspoken differences that arise due to socioeconomic disparities; one scene finds Henry and the narrator playing king and servant, with Henry kissing the protagonist’s feet. Brandelius’ straightforward and direct first-person text pairs well with Dackenberg’s spare watercolor, gouache, and paper cutout illustrations, with their washed-out palette. The story approaches the child’s and mother’s lives with empathy, imbuing both with dignity. The characters are pale-skinned.
A frankly told, child’s-eye view of the intersection of friendship and socioeconomic status. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 8, 2025
ISBN: 9781836290148
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lantana
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2025
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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