Adorable and endearing Llama Llama, who made his first appearance in Dewdney’s Llama Llama Red Pajama (2005), returns, this time throwing a temper tantrum at the Shop-O-Rama. Mama takes quick control of the situation, first getting Llama Llama to stop throwing all of the groceries out of the shopping cart and then speaking gently to him: “Please stop fussing, little llama. / No more of this llama drama. / I think shopping’s boring, too— / but at least I’m here with you.” Together, the two clean up the mess, finish the shopping and then go for ice cream. In clever rhymes that will induce giggles in readers of all ages, Dewdney creates a touching resolution to an all-too-familiar parental predicament. The well-told story, along with the bold colors of the illustrations and the precisely rendered expressions on Llama Llama’s face—from dismay at having to put away his toys to go shopping, to rage as he throws his temper tantrum, to chagrin in its aftermath, to pure delight as he enjoys his ice cream cone—make this a perfect choice for preschool read-alouds. (Picture book. 2-5)
Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2007
ISBN: 978-0-670-06240-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2007
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Not really high or low, this effort takes the middle road. (Picture book. 2-5)
The theme of unconditional love, in both good and bad times, is offered in rhyme alongside pictures of loving pairs of animals.
In the canon of “I love you so much” titles, the shelves are full of devotion to parenting. Prasadam-Halls offers another title that illustrates a wide range of emotions. Love, naughtiness, fear, excitement, sadness, and even questioning all take a turn through this rotation of parent watchfulness. The rhyming verse, with its repetitive cadence, is a bit lumpy, but it is bolstered by comforting full-spread artwork by Brown. Rendered in acrylic paint and colored pencil, each youngster-and-parent depiction exudes connection and protection. Rabbits gingerly cross a river on steppingstones, a joey bounces with abandon, and a baby owl sleeps while the parent stands guard. “When you are sad and troubled with fears, / I hold you close and dry all your tears.” Whether the pairs are koalas or crocodiles, all the animals are androgynous, making the images work for single moms and dads. Though the book cycles through many moods, the feeling of constant presence is clear. The last lines, echoing the premise of the whole book, will be reassuring to most. “For when you are high and when you are low, / I’ll be holding you tight… // …and I'll never let go.” Sweet though it is, though, there’s nothing fresh about it.
Not really high or low, this effort takes the middle road. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: April 26, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-61963-922-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Jan. 8, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2016
Pleasant and sentimental ponderings for new parents and children.
A couple imagines the wonder-filled first moments of their newborn.
“Somewhere in the world, / the world so far, / the world so wide,” sits an orange house surrounded by verdant fields and wispy wildflowers. And in that house, “someone is the / youngest person alive.” What will they see first? Hear? Smell? Through direct address, McGhee explores these firsts. Perhaps it’ll be a “blanket and bunny, / toes and tummy” that they’ll touch first, or perhaps it’ll be “the arms of / someone warm.” One day when the child is grown, they might have a little one of their own who at one moment too will have been “the youngest person alive.” And as a parent, they’ll show their child “a life / that’s bright and true” and a “world [that] will feel / full of love.” With layers of textures—swaths of squiggles and lines—and a colorful palette, Alizadeh’s smudgily outlined illustrations bring a soft but bright energy to the author’s tender text. Scenes alternate between spreads of the family out in the expansive world with interior shots of cozy parent-child moments at home. Occasional close-ups set against minimal backgrounds highlight the love in a parent’s eyes as they connect with their child. The father is white and mother ambiguously tanner.
Pleasant and sentimental ponderings for new parents and children. (Picture book. 2-5, adult)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5420-0633-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Dec. 17, 2019
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
