by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huynh Kim Liên ; Phùng Nguyên Quang & illustrated by Huynh Kim Liên ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 17, 2023
A mesmerizing and enthralling tribute.
A grandfather teaches his grandchild nature’s song.
“Listen, do you hear it?” the grandfather asks his grandchild, Tí, as he steers a small boat. The duo have come to a “new land” now known as Vietnam. As the grandfather and the jungle, symbolized by foliage that forms the image of a monkey, greet one another, the grandson observes “a thousand voices at once. A crash of noises.” The child finds it all overwhelming, yet the grandfather explains, “This is music, and we must learn the song.” As the two of them build a fence around their new home, the grandfather calmly explains, “The bamboo we cut is a melody we raise high as a roof.” Tí gradually gains survival skills such as fishing, sailing, and cultivating the land. Every page teems with vivid landscapes and textures, the deft use of light, colors, and lush detail making for dramatic scenes. When Grandfather says, “You do not have to shout down the storm. Find its rhythm; sing with it,” readers will feel the stark cold of a sea storm. The narrative comes full circle, with a now-adult Tí asking a child, “Listen, do you hear it?” In the backmatter, the creators note that their tale pays homage to “the very first pioneers to the South of Vietnam.”
A mesmerizing and enthralling tribute. (note from Make Me a World creative director Christopher Myers) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 17, 2023
ISBN: 9780593488614
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Make Me a World
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
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by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huynh Kim Liên ; illustrated by Phùng Nguyên Quang & Huynh Kim Liên
by David Wiesner ; illustrated by David Wiesner ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2020
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy.
Robo-parents Diode and Lugnut present daughter Cathode with a new little brother—who requires, unfortunately, some assembly.
Arriving in pieces from some mechanistic version of Ikea, little Flange turns out to be a cute but complicated tyke who immediately falls apart…and then rockets uncontrollably about the room after an overconfident uncle tinkers with his basic design. As a squad of helpline techies and bevies of neighbors bearing sludge cake and like treats roll in, the cluttered and increasingly crowded scene deteriorates into madcap chaos—until at last Cath, with help from Roomba-like robodog Sprocket, stages an intervention by whisking the hapless new arrival off to a backyard workshop for a proper assembly and software update. “You’re such a good big sister!” warbles her frazzled mom. Wiesner’s robots display his characteristic clean lines and even hues but endearingly look like vaguely anthropomorphic piles of random jet-engine parts and old vacuum cleaners loosely connected by joints of armored cable. They roll hither and thither through neatly squared-off panels and pages in infectiously comical dismay. Even the end’s domestic tranquility lasts only until Cathode spots the little box buried in the bigger one’s packing material: “TWINS!” (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 52% of actual size.)
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-544-98731-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
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by David Wiesner ; illustrated by David Wiesner
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by Donna Jo Napoli & David Wiesner ; illustrated by David Wiesner
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by David Wiesner ; illustrated by David Wiesner
by Susan Rose & Silvia López ; illustrated by Gloria Félix ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 25, 2023
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
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by Susan Rose & Silvia López ; illustrated by Gloria Félix
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