MAKING A FRIEND

Name: MAKING A FRIEND
Author: Alison McGhee
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8998-1

by Alison McGhee & illustrated by Marc Rosenthal ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 4, 2011

This retro salute to friendship simply tries to be too much to be successful—it does not hold a candle to McGhee's prior...

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The early-children’s-book feel of Rosenthal’s pencil-and-digital illustrations is what will first strike readers of McGhee’s rather morose celebration of the forever nature of friendship.

A young boy looks forward to winter’s snowy fun. When it finally arrives, he crafts the perfect snowman friend, complete with nose, mouth, eyes, arms and the bright-red ball cap taken from his own head. He labels him, “My Snowman.” But while it is obvious that the boy spends some time admiring the snowman, the wordless pages devoted to their relationship fail to develop it fully, and readers may be left wondering why he is so sad when spring melts his friend. Where is he? Intuiting concepts beyond his apparent years, the boy finds his friend in the falling water and rain, in the fog and frost (although it is never explained to young readers how this is scientifically so), proving that McGhee’s unsubtly stated message is true: “What you love will always be with you.” And when the seasons come full circle, the two are reacquainted. Rosenthal’s illustrations are blotches of color on a stark white background, echoing the wintry setting and the boy’s sorrow, as well as the sparseness of the slow-paced text.

This retro salute to friendship simply tries to be too much to be successful—it does not hold a candle to McGhee's prior works such as Someday or Little Boy, both illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds (2007, 2008) (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2011

ISBN: 978-1-4169-8998-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Atheneum

Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2011

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2011

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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BABY BE
by Alison McGhee ; illustrated by Sean Qualls

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WHERE WE ARE
by Alison McGhee

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WORLD SO WIDE
by Alison McGhee ; illustrated by Kate Alizadeh

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VALENTINE'S DAY, HERE I COME!

From the Here I Come! series

by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Laurie Stansfield ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 27, 2022

Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day.

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A collection of poems follows a group of elementary school students as they prepare for and celebrate Valentine’s Day.

One student starts the day by carefully choosing clothing in pink, purple, or red, while a family kicks off the morning with a breakfast of red, heart-shaped pancakes. At school, children create valentines until party time finally arrives with lots of yummy treats. The students give valentines to their school friends, of course, but we also see one child making a “special delivery” to a pet, a stuffed animal, family members, and even the crossing guard. The poems also extend the Valentine’s celebration to the community park, where other couples—some older, one that appears to be same-sex—are struck by cupid’s “magical love arrows.” Note the child running away: “Blech!” Not everyone wants to “end up in love!!!” But the spread devoted to Valentine’s jokes will please readers more interested in humor than in romance and inspire children to create their own jokes. To make the celebration complete, the last pages of the book contain stickers and a double-sided “BEE MINE!” valentine that readers can, with adult help, cut out. Cheery and kid-friendly, the poems can be read independently or from cover to cover as a full story. The cartoonish illustrations include lots of hearts and emphasize the growing Valentine’s Day excitement, depicting a diverse classroom that includes students who use wheelchairs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day. (Picture-book poetry. 4-6)

Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2022

ISBN: 978-0-593-38717-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

- BOOK REVIEW
HOW TO BE CONFIDENT IN KINDERGARTEN
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Ruth Hammond

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SUMMER VACATION, HERE I COME!
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by John Joven

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ST. PATRICK'S DAY, HERE I COME!
by D.J. Steinberg ; illustrated by Emanuel Wiemans

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OTTO THE ORNAMENT

by Troy Cummings ; illustrated by Troy Cummings ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

An Otto-rly successful modern Christmas story.

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A glitzy ornament searches for a tree worthy of him but finds his real place where he least expects it.

“Merry Christmas, bulbs and baubles! I’m Otto! I’m here to bedeck the heck out of your tree!” And “bedeck the heck” he tries! When Otto is told there’s space for him in the middle of the tree, he scoffs—only the top will do for an ornament like him. After he mocks his fellow ornaments, they refuse to make room for him, so he heads out to look for a new place to shine. He takes a scarring tumble down into the sewer, where he encounters an unlikely precious item. Returning with his find, Otto no longer sparkles but still manages to shine at home on the tree. This is a well-paced, appealing tale that will make for a great preschool read-aloud come December. Arrogant Otto has a satisfying redemptive arc that will resonate with readers. The dialogue and wordplay are pitch-perfect, bringing the characters to life. A mix of cartoonish vignettes and full-page spreads effectively depicts action and movement. Otto is multicolored and patterned with big eyes and a winning grin; the other ornaments on the tree also have personalities that match their styles. The few humans who appear are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An Otto-rly successful modern Christmas story. (Picture book. 4-6)