Run to pick up this one.
A metafictive, mystery-and–potty-book mashup that actually…works!
Beginning with the jacket art, Barroux expertly propels readers through this fast-paced picture book. The cover shows a group of animals crowded at the spine as a very young child runs to the right, compelling readers to open the book. Inside, pacing is akin to Sue Williams and Julie Vivas’ I Went Walking (1990) or one of Jan Brett’s cumulative stories, with a guessing game at each page turn. Kicking things off, a rhino runs across the verso copyright page following a creature that’s barely visible at the recto title page’s edge. Only a webbed foot and black wing appear there, acting as a visual page-turner speeding up progress to the main text. There appears a trio of webbed-footed, black-winged penguins running toward the gutter. On the facing recto, a tufted yellow tail leads to the next page turn under a yellow speech balloon reading “Hello? Hello?” The speaker remains offstage for several spreads, continually asking why the animals are running. Are they being chased? In a race? Pursuing a special treat? Finally, a large, red speech balloon reads “STOP”—and the page turn reveals the child from the book’s cover seated on a toilet and reading a book. This book, in fact. But why were the animals running? Knocks on the bathroom door hold the answer: “WE WANT TO PEE!” cry the animals when the child, who appears white, opens the door.
Run to pick up this one. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 4, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0886-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: May 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2020
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills.
What do you do when the world turns upside down?
Freckled redhead Tilda is a happy only child with a rollicking personality. With lots of books and toys and a multiracial group of friends, life is perfect as far as she’s concerned…until her world undergoes a troubling change (a subtle hint in the illustrations suggests that Tilda’s parents have divorced). Suddenly, nothing feels right, everything seems hard, and she doesn’t want to play with her friends. To reflect this emotional disorientation, the artwork shows Tilda in spatially distorted settings, complete with upside-down objects. It’s not until she sees an upturned ladybug struggle persistently before getting back on its feet (despite Tilda’s desire to help, the ladybug needs to help itself) that Tilda gains the courage to start taking baby steps in order to cope with her new reality. There are still challenges, and she needs to persevere, but eventually, she regains her zest for life and reconnects with her friends. Despite this, the ending avoids an easy happily-ever-after, which feels just right for the subject matter. Though a trifle didactic, the story sends an important message about the roles of self-efficacy and persistence when it comes to overcoming challenges and building resilience. Percival’s digital illustrations use transitions from grayscale to color to create symbolic meaning and have psychological depth, deftly capturing a child’s experience of trauma.
An accessible entrance into the world of social-emotional skills. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0822-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2022
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender...
A polar-bear parent speaks poetically of love for a child.
A genderless adult and cub travel through the landscapes of an arctic year. Each of the softly rendered double-page paintings has a very different feel and color palette as the pair go through the seasons, walking through wintry ice and snow and green summer meadows, cavorting in the blue ocean, watching whales, and playing beside musk oxen. The rhymes of the four-line stanzas are not forced, as is the case too often in picture books of this type: “When cold, winter winds / blow the leaves far and wide, / You’ll cross the great icebergs / with me by your side.” On a dark, snowy night, the loving parent says: “But for now, cuddle close / while the stars softly shine. // I’ll always be yours, / and you’ll always be mine.” As the last illustration shows the pair curled up for sleep, young listeners will be lulled to sweet dreams by the calm tenor of the pictures and the words. While far from original, this timeless theme is always in demand, and the combination of delightful illustrations and poetry that scans well make this a good choice for early-childhood classrooms, public libraries, and one-on-one home read-alouds.
Parent-child love and affection, appealingly presented, with the added attraction of the seasonal content and lack of gender restrictions. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68010-070-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: July 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
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