An intriguing picture book with an abstract theme and illustrations that invite young readers to reimagine themselves as...
A boy describes his identity as an Earthling in this clever, enchantingly illustrated picture book by veteran author Weisberg (Talking to the Dead, 2005, etc.) and artist Arnold.
Most people think of the unnamed narrator as a boy and his sister as a girl, “But we’re Earthlings,” he explains. Grouping himself with other residents of the planet—animals as well as humans—the narrator describes things that make Earth and Earthlings special. Scientific concepts such as gravity, the atmosphere, the water cycle, and general human anatomy are described in dramatically simplified layman’s terms. Rather than delve into the science, the narrator skims over the ideas to focus on how some of these things are unique to Earth and how earthlings are “perfectly made” for their environments. The theme underlying the concepts is a little more abstract: “I can’t see my own back or face without a mirror, but I can see those of other Earthlings….We can see one another, but we can’t directly see our whole selves.” Although never stated directly, the philosophical implication that other beings are required for us to truly see ourselves is an interesting one for a picture book aimed at the lower grade school audience. While most of the illustrations focus on the narrator—a small blond boy wearing primary colors—in the final pages, a diverse spread of humans fill the pages, featuring different skin tones, clothing styles, and religious and cultural details, further suggesting that seeing ourselves through diverse eyes helps us better understand who we are; after all, our shared planet is more important than our differences. Arnold’s watercolor images are delightful, with nods to space travel and sci-fi at every opportunity (robot toys and rocket ships are typical inclusions). But the premise is almost too clever: since there’s no story here, only abstract concepts, some young readers may scratch their heads. “He’s an Earthling—so what?” It is not quite detailed enough to please science readers nor direct enough to give an explicit moral. But the quiet, thoughtful tone may well work for others, especially independent readers more interested in questions than answers.
An intriguing picture book with an abstract theme and illustrations that invite young readers to reimagine themselves as citizens of the planet.Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2015
ISBN: 978-1500941215
Page Count: 42
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: July 28, 2015
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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