A deeply personal tale that underscores the power of kindness.
Letting go can be the hardest—and kindest—thing to do.
A beige-skinned, dark-haired, East Asian–presenting boy interrupts some bullies bothering a helpless baby sparrow and, in exchange for a few treasures, convinces them to give him the animal. Against his parents’ admonitions, the boy uses a straw to feed the bird and names him Kozo. Day by day, Kozo gets stronger and forms a special bond with the boy, chirping and flapping his wings with excitement when the child returns home from school. Even when Kozo gets loose outside, he comes right back to the boy. The boy’s teacher encourages him to bring Kozo to school to show the other children. Worried about Kozo’s safety, the boy nevertheless agrees when the teacher promises to keep a close eye on the class. However, the other children chase Kozo and frighten him, and then after school, the bullies return. To keep his friend safe, the boy makes a difficult decision to do the kindest thing, even if it hurts. Realistic illustrations rendered in watercolor, dip pen and brush, and pencil rely on ample white space to spotlight the boy’s connection with Kozo. This poignant yet straightforward narrative navigates complex themes of friendship, loneliness, kindness, and bravery. An author’s note explains that the story is based on an experience in Say’s childhood growing up in postwar Japan. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A deeply personal tale that underscores the power of kindness. (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: Oct. 10, 2023
ISBN: 9780063248465
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2023
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with...
Reynolds and Brown have crafted a Halloween tale that balances a really spooky premise with the hilarity that accompanies any mention of underwear.
Jasper Rabbit needs new underwear. Plain White satisfies him until he spies them: “Creepy underwear! So creepy! So comfy! They were glorious.” The underwear of his dreams is a pair of radioactive-green briefs with a Frankenstein face on the front, the green color standing out all the more due to Brown’s choice to do the entire book in grayscale save for the underwear’s glowing green…and glow they do, as Jasper soon discovers. Despite his “I’m a big rabbit” assertion, that glow creeps him out, so he stuffs them in the hamper and dons Plain White. In the morning, though, he’s wearing green! He goes to increasing lengths to get rid of the glowing menace, but they don’t stay gone. It’s only when Jasper finally admits to himself that maybe he’s not such a big rabbit after all that he thinks of a clever solution to his fear of the dark. Brown’s illustrations keep the backgrounds and details simple so readers focus on Jasper’s every emotion, writ large on his expressive face. And careful observers will note that the underwear’s expression also changes, adding a bit more creep to the tale.
Perfect for those looking for a scary Halloween tale that won’t leave them with more fears than they started with. Pair with Dr. Seuss’ tale of animate, empty pants. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 22, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4424-0298-0
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: July 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2017
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