A thoughtful primer on the transformative power of goodness.
A Supreme Court justice offers guidance on how to brighten the world—and an ode to her late mother.
Beginning with an excerpt from the Homeric Hymns, Sotomayor presents a graceful tribute to her mother, Celina, whose compassion and generosity still linger with her. The lessons Celina imparted form the crux of this story, shared in brief, stylized snapshots that underscore how “she lit up everyone around her.” In the sugar cane fields of Puerto Rico, young Celina summoned the bravery to steer her confused, sick mother back home amid the night’s darkness. Growing up alongside her strict older sister, Celina beautified their home through her daily hard work. Other examples—Celina befriending a lonely elderly woman, nourishing a nephew’s artistic dreams, leveraging her nursing skills to heal others—come together for a portrait of a woman who “showed her love and brought brightness to her family, her community, and the world.” Sotomayor punctuates each glimpse of a good deed with an explicit affirmation, and though Celina occasionally comes across as an almost overly idealized, uncomplicated subject, on the whole, this is a timely reminder that a remarkable sense of community can emerge through ordinary means. Alcántara’s dreamy, ornate marker-and-gouache artwork emphasizes the beauty of kindness.
A thoughtful primer on the transformative power of goodness. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9780593206294
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 30, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2025
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
A solid if message-driven conversation starter about the hard parts of learning.
Children realize their dreams one step at a time in this story about growth mindset.
A child crashes and damages a new bicycle on a dark, rainy day. Attempting a wheelie, the novice cyclist falls onto the sidewalk, grimacing, and, having internalized this setback as failure, vows to never ride again but to “walk…forever.” Then the unnamed protagonist happens upon a glowing orb in the forest, a “thought rearranger-er”—a luminous pink fairy called the Magical Yet. This Yet reminds the child of past accomplishments and encourages perseverance. The second-person rhyming couplets remind readers that mistakes are part of learning and that with patience and effort, children can achieve. Readers see the protagonist learn to ride the bike before a flash-forward shows the child as a capable college graduate confidently designing a sleek new bike. This book shines with diversity: racial, ethnic, ability, and gender. The gender-indeterminate protagonist has light brown skin and exuberant curly locks; Amid the bustling secondary cast, one child uses a prosthesis, and another wears hijab. At no point in the text is the Yet defined as a metaphor for a growth mindset; adults reading with younger children will likely need to clarify this abstract lesson. The artwork is powerful and detailed—pay special attention to the endpapers that progress to show the Yet at work.
A solid if message-driven conversation starter about the hard parts of learning. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-368-02562-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion/LBYR
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
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