A cute read for any family that is missing out on sports (or needs a change-up in their bedtime reading).
There’s nothing that brings a family together with excitement and energy quite like sports.
This bedtime routine is anything but boring as the coaches (also known as parents) help their kids get ready for bed. As soon as the family enters the house it is a rush to complete the sports-themed Sunday-night bedtime routine. Each page incorporates sport terms and, often, football plays as they hustle. They need to get clothes from the laundry (Dad hikes an armful through his legs to an enthusiastic youngster), brush their teeth (in unison, to a stopwatch), take a bath (which begins like a Gatorade dunk), and of course tidy up (all in record time, of course). The family dog even plays a special part in making sure the team gets the ball over the goal line—watch out for “unnecessary ruffness.” Sports fans will love the idea of gathering the family together for a “Story-Time-Out” as they settle their children for a nap or at night. Most of the sports terms incorporated are football-related, but an occasional basketball or hockey term helps keep up the frantic pace. Deas’ movement-filled cartoons depict a Black-appearing mom, a White-appearing dad, their two brown-skinned kids, and a shaggy black mutt making happy mayhem in this comfortable, middle-class home. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-16-inch double-page spreads viewed at 41.3% of actual size.)
A cute read for any family that is missing out on sports (or needs a change-up in their bedtime reading). (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-11562-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind.
When Mom and Dad bring baby Rasheed home for the first time, it’s love at first sight for big brother Anthony.
As the boys grow, Anthony teaches his little sibling how to build a tower with blocks (and how to knock it down with a loud “WHOP!!!”), how to ride a bike, and even how to fly (through a well-timed leap from the swings). When thunder and lightning wake them both one night, Anthony assuages Rasheed’s fears with the book’s titular refrain: “I got you.” But one day Anthony goes for a bike ride with his friends, leaving Rasheed alone and hurt. That night, Anthony explains that while he may spend time with his peers, his bond with Rasheed is unbreakable. And as the book comes to a close, with Mom and Dad introducing the boys to their new little sibling, Anthony leaves Rasheed with perhaps the greatest lesson of all: how to be a supportive big brother himself. Narrated by Rasheed, Barnes’ text is elegant in its simplicity, loving yet never saccharine, and always emotionally honest. Using varied perspectives, Knight-Justice’s richly hued, collagelike digital illustrations combine a patchwork of textures and patterns, immersing readers in this affectionate Black family’s world. Greens and blues dominate the pages, bringing to life an idyllic suburban setting.
Brotherly love and Black joy abound in this brilliantly told tribute to the ties that bind. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780593111451
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share
Mother-daughter author-illustrator team Anne (who passed away in April 2018) and Lizzy Rockwell have crafted a quiet story that positively portrays a black family spending time in nature. While this shouldn’t be a news flash in 2018, it is.
A black family—mom, dad, and daughter—drives 20 minutes away from their suburb for a day hike up Hickory Hill, where they enjoy the flora, fauna, and autumnal changes. The higher they climb, the sparser the vegetation becomes until they reach the summit and take in the expansive views. This picture book offers a rare snapshot of a family of color spending quality family time in the woods. Since they think they are lost at one point, perhaps they have not hiked often, but this does not dampen their enthusiasm. Several animals make an appearance in the watercolor illustrations, done in a soft, mostly pastel palette, including a porcupine, birds, a deer, a chipmunk, and a toad. The young female narrator describes the woodpecker she sees as redheaded; this, too, suggests that she hasn’t done much bird-watching since the bird is a pileated woodpecker, and a kid who had grown up birding would know it by both sound and sight. Still, readers will appreciate the daughter’s delight as she chooses the trail to hike and really notices her surroundings.
Black and brown nature lovers, here’s one to read and share . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 25, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-2737-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Aladdin
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
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