A well-conceived picture book that uses humor and lively illustrations to showcase the importance of science learning.
Children ask some big scientific questions in Pinke’s educational picture book.
“Why is the sky BLUE?” “Why do zebras have stripes?” “Why do I HAVE TO go to bed?” Nick asks questions like this all the time, and his best friend, Know-It-All Nate, usually has the answers. But when Nick finally asks a question that stumps Nate, the boys take their search for answers to the local science museum. At first, Nick and Nate are overwhelmed. Inside the museum, they find exhibit rooms for nearly everything, from weather and minerals to toilets. Eventually, they find the outer space room and meet the museum guide. But instead of simply giving them the answers, the guide uses a model of the moon and Earth to demonstrate gravity. When Nick asks about the blue sky, she explains light scattering with another display of Earth and the sun. Although the guide can’t answer every question, she encourages the boys’ interest, explaining that all great science starts with curiosity. Some answers already exist; others are waiting to be discovered. Nick is inspired and becomes even more inquisitive. This book delivers a charming celebration of curiosity and the joy of learning. It reassures young readers that asking questions is not only welcome, but essential to scientific discovery. The boys’ resilience in finding answers also promotes a growth mindset that is essential for a story that caters to young learners. The book is also quite funny, with lighthearted and relatable humor that readers of all ages will likely appreciate.
A well-conceived picture book that uses humor and lively illustrations to showcase the importance of science learning.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: N/A
Page Count: -
Publisher: N/A
Review Posted Online: March 9, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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