Big responsibilities and small gestures paint a thoughtful picture of masculinity.
Now that there’s a newborn in the house, carefree days are few and far between, but a young boy comes up with an idea to make life a little easier.
As Mama holds baby Lily, Elijah eagerly waits for Daddy to come home so the two can enjoy a weekend of flying his new kite. Unfortunately, Daddy has other plans. “A new baby means extra work for everyone,” father tells son, and Elijah recognizes immediately that he’s being asked to step up in ways that won’t necessarily be fun but that are needed by the family. He tries his hardest to follow his dad’s lead, but he stumbles more often than not while assisting in the kitchen and cleaning up after himself. Bright digital illustrations, paired with exuberant, onomatopoeia-filled text, depict a loving and tight-knit Black family with a lot on their plates despite a barrel-chested handyman of a dad, an attentive and affectionate mom, a vocal newborn, and a considerate young son. When Elijah decides one day to work even harder for his family, he follows Daddy’s lead. Father and son assist others, tidy up messes, and look on with pride at all they’ve accomplished, with Elijah’s body language hilariously, and endearingly, mirroring Daddy’s in several scenes. Finally, Elijah presents Daddy with a flight-ready green kite and a much-needed lesson about taking the time to cut loose.
Big responsibilities and small gestures paint a thoughtful picture of masculinity. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781338807431
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 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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