Familiar colors and foods give this joyous book a distinctively Cuban feel.
Young Alex lives with his mother and father. Although it is just three of them, he knows he has a very big family back in Cuba—and they quickly demonstrate just how many people his little house can hold.
At the book’s beginning, Alex and his family get some wonderful news. Abuela is leaving Cuba and coming to live with them! After all, as Papa says, “Where three can fit, four can fit.” Alex is excited to be sharing his room with Abuela and spending time together. Soon, aunts, uncles, and cousins come as well, and their house is fit to bursting, until Alex feels that “no one else can fit in this house!” Slowly, Alex’s extended family members move out as they become settled in the United States, but there is still one last surprise for him at the end. Archer’s beautiful collage illustrations with bright colors and patterns capture the ebullience of this loving extended Cuban family. Its boisterous din is made visible with jagged diagonals everywhere, the double-page spread when Alex learns everybody will be leaving standing as dramatic counterpoint. While this brown-skinned family is Cuban, this is a story that will resonate with many children of immigrants and will give a glimpse into the positive side of bringing in a large extended family for those who aren’t.
Familiar colors and foods give this joyous book a distinctively Cuban feel. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 30, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4788-6790-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Reycraft Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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