An earnest work that will encourage positive self-expression.
This illustrated book of rhyming phrases repeats affirmations for children with brown skin.
Two youngsters with brown skin and curly, black hair are greeted on each page with phrases that assure them of their worth. Each stanza opens with “Beautiful brown skin child” and directly provides the kids—and the reader—with a positive statement. They assure the children that they have beautiful hearts, are descendants of kings and queens, are smart, and are leaders. The text urges them to believe in themselves and fight for what’s right. But affirmations don’t negate struggle, and the narration also gives readers permission to cry and encourages them to get help when needed, make good choices, and seek the truth. Rodriguez’s stanzas scan well, though the text design sometimes obscures the rhymes, which are occasionally a stretch (smile/high). Risnawati’s flat color illustrations feature simple backgrounds, focusing on the kids, their loving family, and their supportive, diverse community. At one point, an image depicts the children at a march carrying “Black Lives Matter” signs, which may be a good conversation starter. A “Daily Activity” section encourages the use of positive affirmations. It’s followed by discussion questions, one of which asks what “melanin” is, which is mentioned in the text but not explicitly defined.
An earnest work that will encourage positive self-expression.Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-73566-503-0
Page Count: 34
Publisher: Jaye Squared Youth Empowerment Services
Review Posted Online: Aug. 24, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
So sweet it’ll have readers heading for their toothbrushes.
Another entry in the how-much-I-love-you genre.
The opening spread shows a blue elephant-and-child pair, the child atop the adult, white hearts arcing between their uplifted trunks: “You’re a gift and a blessing in every way. / I love you more each and every day.” From there, the adult elephant goes on to tell the child how they are loved more than all sorts of things, some rhyming better than others: “I love you more than all the spaghetti served in Rome, // and more than each and every dog loves her bone.” More than stars, fireflies, “all the languages spoken in the world,” “all the dancers that have ever twirled,” all the kisses ever given and miles ever driven, “all the adventures you have ahead,” and “all the peanut butter and jelly spread on bread!” Representative of all the world’s languages are “I love you” in several languages (with no pronunciation help): English, Sioux, French, German, Swahili, Spanish, Hawaiian, Chinese, and Arabic (these two last in Roman characters only). Bold colors and simple illustrations with no distracting details keep readers’ focus on the main ideas. Dashed lines give the artwork (and at least one word on every spread) the look of 2-D sewn toys.
So sweet it’ll have readers heading for their toothbrushes. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Dec. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4926-8398-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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