A sweet, contemplative ode to long-distance familial relationships.
A grandfather’s visit from overseas sparks wonder, sadness, and joy.
Upon first seeing Grandpa at the airport, the unnamed young protagonist is overcome with timidity. But back at home, the child is delighted by the treats Grandpa has brought back from his homeland, including walnuts from his very own trees. Although the protagonist doesn’t speak Farsi and Grandpa doesn’t seem to speak English, the two set off on an adventure through the main character’s world. The child shows Grandpa “the darkest path in the world,” a horse named Santiago, a frog named Malou, and a hill called Rabbit-View. The protagonist wishes Grandpa could see even more, like the coming of spring and falling snow. Realizing Grandpa can’t stay forever, the child becomes emotional. But after the tears dry and a raucous family dinner, the protagonist is thrilled when, in the middle of the night, it begins to snow—one wish granted. “I reach out a hand…and hope that these days go slowly.” This tender tale in verse is a touching portrayal of the complex reality of having family members who live far away. While the author leaves out some details, like what country the grandfather comes from, the gorgeously lit illustrations and lyrical, rhyming text make for a gentle, fulfilling read. The child, Mum, and Grandpa are tan-skinned; Dad is light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet, contemplative ode to long-distance familial relationships. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2023
ISBN: 9781536231267
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own...
The sturdy Little Blue Truck is back for his third adventure, this time delivering Christmas trees to his band of animal pals.
The truck is decked out for the season with a Christmas wreath that suggests a nose between headlights acting as eyeballs. Little Blue loads up with trees at Toad’s Trees, where five trees are marked with numbered tags. These five trees are counted and arithmetically manipulated in various ways throughout the rhyming story as they are dropped off one by one to Little Blue’s friends. The final tree is reserved for the truck’s own use at his garage home, where he is welcomed back by the tree salestoad in a neatly circular fashion. The last tree is already decorated, and Little Blue gets a surprise along with readers, as tiny lights embedded in the illustrations sparkle for a few seconds when the last page is turned. Though it’s a gimmick, it’s a pleasant surprise, and it fits with the retro atmosphere of the snowy country scenes. The short, rhyming text is accented with colored highlights, red for the animal sounds and bright green for the numerical words in the Christmas-tree countdown.
Little Blue’s fans will enjoy the animal sounds and counting opportunities, but it’s the sparkling lights on the truck’s own tree that will put a twinkle in a toddler’s eyes. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Sept. 23, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-544-32041-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable.
You think you know shapes? Animals? Blend them together, and you might see them both a little differently!
What a mischievous twist on a concept book! With wordplay and a few groan-inducing puns, Neal creates connections among animals and shapes that are both unexpected and so seemingly obvious that readers might wonder why they didn’t see them all along. Of course, a “lazy turtle” meeting an oval would create the side-splitting combo of a “SLOW-VAL.” A dramatic page turn transforms a deeply saturated, clean-lined green oval by superimposing a head and turtle shell atop, with watery blue ripples completing the illusion. Minimal backgrounds and sketchy, impressionistic detailing keep the focus right on the zany animals. Beginning with simple shapes, the geometric forms become more complicated as the book advances, taking readers from a “soaring bird” that meets a triangle to become a “FLY-ANGLE” to a “sleepy lion” nonagon “YAWN-AGON.” Its companion text, Animal Colors, delves into color theory, this time creating entirely hybrid animals, such as the “GREEN WHION” with maned head and whale’s tail made from a “blue whale and a yellow lion.” It’s a compelling way to visualize color mixing, and like Animal Shapes, it’s got verve. Who doesn’t want to shout out that a yellow kangaroo/green moose blend is a “CHARTREUSE KANGAMOOSE”?
Innovative and thoroughly enjoyable. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4998-0534-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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