THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY

Name: THE SOCIAL BUTTERFLY
Author: Beth Bracken
ISBN: 978-1-5158-1697-3

by Beth Bracken ; illustrated by Sofia Cardoso ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 1, 2018

The bugs’ world may distract readers from the tale’s didacticism, but the ones who need this message most are unlikely to...

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Charlotte loves school, learning, and being with her friends, but combining the three doesn’t work for anyone.

A whispering Charlotte and her friend miss Miss Flora’s announcement about “show-and-share” and bring nothing special the next day. Etta can’t finish her book when Charlotte’s talking to her, and Max is in a similar boat with his math worksheet. Lily, Ben, and Charlotte all feel hungry after they talk right through lunchtime. The next day, Charlotte’s classmates shush her and insist on listening and learning. Miss Flora points out that the things Charlotte loves about school are things her friends love too, but they can’t enjoy them for all the butterfly’s chatter. This aha moment sparks a change. Cardoso’s illustrations depict the characters as anthropomorphized insects. Charlotte has deep purple skin and purple puffball pigtails on top of her head. While most of the bugs have skin tones that match their natural colorations, some have pale or brown coloring and hair in a range of human shades. The fact that most of the insects’ mouths are perpetually wide open is rather distracting—kids may wonder how they can listen and talk at the same time. Also unfortunate is the fact that the darkest-skinned child, who is also the one with Afro-styled hair, is represented as the problem.

The bugs’ world may distract readers from the tale’s didacticism, but the ones who need this message most are unlikely to learn it here; they’re busy talking. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-5158-1697-3

Page Count: 33

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

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FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)