If a set of small tracks leads to a bowl of missing cat food, it must be a dinosaur, right? One with very tiny feet?
When the strange footprints lead Joe and Sally through their house and outside, the white sibs decide, based on the clues they find, that it's not only a dinosaur that left them, but one that loves music, bumped its head, loves to swim, and much more. When they get home, their preoccupied parents suggest it's not a good idea to follow a dinosaur, especially since they're extinct. Ignoring that, they set to making a dinosaur trap, and in a welcome twist, they actually meet the same creature they were imagining, one in need of help baking treats. Latimer gives his silly dinosaur some very funny expressions as it goes through imagination-bubble indignities, and the kids’ diagram of their dinosaur trap is equally chuckleworthy. Backgrounds are kept to a minimum to keep the focus on Sally and Joe’s adventure tracking down their cat-food thief. Latimer escalates the absurdity with great pacing and repetition in the text ("What if it's a hungry, heavy, swimming, dancing dinosaur with a headache, a sore foot and wings!") coupled with increasingly busy and funny illustrations.
It’s a goofy romp with a very lovable dinosaur at its center that never loses its (very small) footing. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-56145-704-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2016
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Spending a day with Gong Gong doesn’t sound like very much fun to May.
Gong Gong doesn’t speak English, and May doesn’t know Chinese. How can they have a good day together? As they stroll through an urban Chinatown, May’s perpetually sanguine maternal grandfather chats with friends and visits shops. At each stop, Cantonese words fly back and forth, many clearly pointed at May, who understands none of it. It’s equally exasperating trying to communicate with Gong Gong in English, and by the time they join a card game in the park with Gong Gong’s friends, May is tired, hungry, and frustrated. But although it seems like Gong Gong hasn’t been attentive so far, when May’s day finally comes to a head, it is clear that he has. First-person text gives glimpses into May’s lively thoughts as they evolve through the day, and Gong Gong’s unchangingly jolly face reflects what could be mistaken for blithe obliviousness but is actually his way of showing love through sharing the people and places of his life. Through adorable illustrations that exude humor and warmth, this portrait of intergenerational affection is also a tribute to life in Chinatown neighborhoods: Street vendors, a busker playing a Chinese violin, a dim sum restaurant, and more all combine to add a distinctive texture.
A multilayered, endearing treasure of a day. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77321-429-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: June 30, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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The author recounts a formative childhood experience that continues to inspire her today.
Born to Hmong refugees, Kalia has only ever known the confines of the Ban Vinai refugee camp in Thailand. Even while playing with her cousins, reminders of the hardships of their life are always present. She overhears the aunties sharing their uncertainty and fear of the future. They are a people with no home country and are still trying to find peace. Kalia asks her father why they live behind a gate and wonders what lies beyond the fences that surround the camp. The next day they climb a tall tree, and he shows her the vast expanse around them, from familiar camp landmarks to distant mountains “where the sky meets earth.” This story of resilience and generational hope is told in an expressive, straightforward narrative style. The simplicity of the text adds a level of poignancy that moves readers to reflection. The layered and heavily textured illustrations complement the text while highlighting the humanity of the refugees and providing a quiet dignity to camp life. The militarylike color palette of olive greens, golden yellows, and rich browns reinforces the guarded atmosphere but also represents the transitional period from winter to spring, a time ripe with anticipation and promise.
A visually striking, compelling recollection. (author's note, glossary, map.) (Picture book/memoir. 5-9)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5415-8130-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Carolrhoda
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
Categories: CHILDREN'S BIOGRAPHY & MEMOIR | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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Sofia Valdez proves that community organizers of any age can have a positive impact.
After a trash-heap eyesore causes an injury to her beloved abuelo, Sofia springs into action to bring big change to her neighborhood. The simple rhymes of the text follow Sofia on her journey from problem through ideas to action as she garners community support for an idyllic new park to replace the dangerous junk pile. When bureaucracy threatens to quash Sofia’s nascent plan, she digs deep and reflects that “being brave means doing the thing you must do, / though your heart cracks with fear. / Though you’re just in Grade Two.” Sofia’s courage yields big results and inspires those around her to lend a hand. Implied Latinx, Sofia and her abuelo have medium brown skin, and Sofia has straight brown hair (Abuelo is bald). Readers will recognize Iggy Peck, Rosie Revere, and Ada Twist from Beaty’s previous installments in the Questioneers series making cameo appearances in several scenes. While the story connects back to the title and her aptitude for the presidency in only the second-to-last sentence of the book, Sofia’s leadership and grit are themes throughout. Roberts’ signature illustration style lends a sense of whimsy; detailed drawings will have readers scouring each page for interesting minutiae.
Fun but earnest, this rhyming romp reminds readers that one young person can make a difference. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3704-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 24, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY
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