This story revolves around poop while avoiding gross-out humor—and, perhaps, readers’ comprehension.
A young sloth successfully makes it.
Young Sloth has a lot of potty-training anxiety. His mom reassures him; an enthusiastic frog tells him “Just listen to your body and it will all work out”; and a friendly butterfly reminds him that even if he doesn’t succeed, it’s OK—“As long as you keep trying.” He slowly descends his tree, scurries to a special pooping spot (comically marked with an X), goes, and makes it back home in one piece. There’s no mention of bodily functions in the text, just a lot of sly references to taking “care of business” or how “it” will “come out fine.” The only clue prior to the author’s note is the tagline on the cover: “sometimes a little poop can be a big adventure.” The engaging backmatter explains more about sloth biology and lifestyle habits, clearing up any lingering questions about the protagonist’s motivations and actions. The constipated hero is extremely endearing, with a personality-filled stub of a tail and an endlessly expressive face, but the story risks young children missing the point, with no direct references to sloth’s predicament; even the final payoff is buried before readers can get a glimpse of his hard work! Sadly, adult sensibilities seem to be privileged over kids’ age-appropriate fascination with all things bathroom.
This story revolves around poop while avoiding gross-out humor—and, perhaps, readers’ comprehension. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0245-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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