Winning illustrations level up an uneven story.
An Indian American boy’s excitement for his first day of school is tempered when his classmates can’t pronounce his name.
Their “wrinkled foreheads” and the giggles that follow make the young boy shrink into himself. He worries that his name conjures “far-off smells,” “the hot sun,” and “sweaty crowds,” and he feels lost in their "frosty stares." With downcast eyes, he turns to his parents for an embrace. His parents turn each of his hurt feelings into a vision of joy and healing. They gently remind him how his arrival meant “wrinkled faces / Creased into smiles.” They teach him that his name signifies his culture and his roots and encourage him to celebrate his differences. The vibrant illustrations mirror the unnamed boy’s moods with cool greens and blues moving into reds and oranges as he grasps his unique identity. Though the boy’s heritage is richly conveyed through warm brown skin tones and traditional Indian clothing and food, the story lacks the depth of other recent books celebrating names and cultural identities. The text leans heavily on the parents’ perspective, with little engagement to encourage the child’s own realization of his uniqueness. In the author’s and illustrator’s notes, Kelkar and Prabhat share that they’ve had similar experiences and discuss learning to embrace the beauty and power of their names. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Winning illustrations level up an uneven story. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2023
ISBN: 9780374314637
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
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
BOOK REVIEW
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