A nuanced, insightful look at what it means to have family overseas.
A child of South Asian descent weathers a complicated visit to India.
Maya’s thrilled to be visiting her grandmother with her parents. Soon after they arrive, Maya and Grandma leave for the market, but Maya’s first morning is challenging. Just as Grandma has predicted, people stare at Maya’s ripped jeans, and she’s overwhelmed by the heat and noise of the market. The pair arrive home late after talking “with all of Grandma’s nosy neighbors,” only to accept another steady stream of visitors. When Maya escapes to her room, she overhears her grandmother making excuses for her absence. She doesn’t have time to dissect these feelings, though, because the next day her grandmother is admitted into the ICU after having a heart attack. On the way to the hospital, Maya asks her parents to stop at the market so she can pick up coconut water—her grandmother’s favorite. But when they miss visiting hours at the hospital, Maya wonders when she’ll see Grandma again. This compassionate portrayal of the challenges of adjusting to a new country while also dealing with a relative enduring illness is a refreshing take on stories about returning to a homeland. The first-person narratorial voice makes for an intimate read, while the collagelike illustrations, which pop with color and feature signs in Kannada script, are beautifully detailed.
A nuanced, insightful look at what it means to have family overseas. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781773068336
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
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