A tender story of finding wonder in the world, in oneself, and others.
From author/illustrator Sano, an unusually colored, anthropomorphized zebra struggles to fit in at her new school.
In a world full of humbug-colored zebras, Peppermint has the red stripes of a candy cane. Her Mama encourages her to walk tall and proud, but as the only red-striped zebra at her new school, she feels out of place. She slouches and drags her hooves, which attracts the attention of bullies. Peppermint is very lonely, and yet, outside of school, she demonstrates a wonderful acuity in finding and appreciating uniqueness: a wildflower growing from a crack in a rock; a cloud shaped like a fish; a yoga-posed carrot and a heart-shaped apple. In art class one day, Peppermint feels so isolated, she paints her stripes black to fit in. This, however, only leads to further humiliation…and danger when, sobbing, she runs away down to the plains where the lions roam. Luckily for Peppermint, her purple ribbon–wearing classmate, Zophia, comes to her rescue. From then on, Peppermint and Zophia become best friends. Peppermint does walk tall and proud, and the bullies leave her alone. Peppermint’s tale follows a predictable arc, narrated in straightforward text but with engaging illustrations. Sano combines minimal ink outlines with complex watercolor hues: pastel purples for Peppermint’s feelings; brighter, adjacent colors for the outdoors, wonderous discoveries, and the happy childhood she stands apart from. Through subtle shifts and juxtapositions, Sano, whose previous book was Martie Merganser and the Big Waterfall (2022), captures the uneasy balance that exists between the natural world and the emotional landscape humans map onto it. Zophia’s befriending of Peppermint comes out of the blue, but a closer examination of the preceding pages reveals that this development is no deus ex machina. The relationship—at least from Zophia’s side—is presaged in her art class painting (of Peppermint), and in several scenes prior to that when Zophia, herself a loner, is shown in the background, too shy to approach. Peppermint, like the reader, was just too caught up in her own problems to notice! Such finesses repay multiple readings and make for a beautiful learning experience.
A tender story of finding wonder in the world, in oneself, and others.Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781633814448
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Maine Authors Publishing
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
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
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
