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LITTLE WHY

Name: LITTLE WHY
Author: Jonny Lambert
ISBN: 978-1-68010-010-5

by Jonny Lambert ; illustrated by Jonny Lambert ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2016

Bright and reassuring…and if Kipling’s wordplay is better, at least there’s no spanking here.

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A small and wandering elephant finds out why it’s a good idea to stay in line with its bigger kin.

Not even knee-high to the grown elephants—portrayed, in Lambert’s mottled tissue-collage illustrations, as towering well beyond the page tops—frisky Little Why is continually distracted by other animals. Like many a toddler, what this elephant’s child sees becomes instantly desirable. But requests for “spiny-spiky special horns” like the wildebeest’s, the giraffe’s “long-lofty leggy legs,” and the cheetah’s “speedy-spotty, fuzzy fur” all get the same stern response when the child’s excitement causes a halt in the elephant parade’s progress: “Stay in line!” Then, drawn to admire a crocodile’s “snippy-snappy snazzy snout,” (shades of that more-renowned elephant’s child), Little Why very nearly comes to grief. At last the herd arrives at a watering hole, where a parental pachyderm descends into view to point out what the sulky calf does have (“a super-squirty trunk”) and explain that “you’re special just the way you are!” In addition to echoing Kipling’s plot, Lambert seems to be consciously emulating its language, at least a little: “At the back and in-between the Elders, Little Why walked in line… / …well almost!” And “almost” is about as close as he gets.

Bright and reassuring…and if Kipling’s wordplay is better, at least there’s no spanking here. (Picture book. 4-6)

Pub Date: March 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-68010-010-5

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Tiger Tales

Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
LIGHT THE SKY, FIREFLY
by Sheri Mabry Bestor ; illustrated by Jonny Lambert

- BOOK REVIEW
NOW YOU SEE ME, NOW YOU DON'T
by Patricia Hegarty ; illustrated by Jonny Lambert

- BOOK REVIEW
SOAR HIGH, DRAGONFLY
by Sheri Mabry Bestor ; illustrated by Jonny Lambert

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THERE'S A ROCK CONCERT IN MY BEDROOM

by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022

Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S ENTERTAINMENT & SPORTS

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S A BEACH IN MY BEDROOM
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson

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PIRATES DON'T TAKE BATHS

by John Segal and illustrated by John Segal ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2011

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Echoes of Runaway Bunny color this exchange between a bath-averse piglet and his patient mother. Using a strategy that would probably be a nonstarter in real life, the mother deflects her stubborn offspring’s string of bath-free occupational conceits with appeals to reason: “Pirates NEVER EVER take baths!” “Pirates don’t get seasick either. But you do.” “Yeesh. I’m an astronaut, okay?” “Well, it is hard to bathe in zero gravity. It’s hard to poop and pee in zero gravity too!” And so on, until Mom’s enticing promise of treasure in the deep sea persuades her little Treasure Hunter to take a dive. Chunky figures surrounded by lots of bright white space in Segal’s minimally detailed watercolors keep the visuals as simple as the plotline. The language isn’t quite as basic, though, and as it rendered entirely in dialogue—Mother Pig’s lines are italicized—adult readers will have to work hard at their vocal characterizations for it to make any sense. Moreover, younger audiences (any audiences, come to that) may wonder what the piggy’s watery closing “EUREKA!!!” is all about too. Not particularly persuasive, but this might coax a few young porkers to get their trotters into the tub. (Picture book. 4-6)