Despite its zany plot and boisterous pictures, this tale doesn’t quite take off.
An intrepid, outlandishly dressed child has a few unexpected hiccups on her first solo plane ride.
Author and illustrator duo Richardson and Pechet team up again to tell a whimsical story about Lola, who is about to fly unaccompanied to visit her grandma. Despite her mother’s anxieties about this unprecedented trip, Lola is unperturbed; equipped with mermaid leggings, a tutu, fairy wings, a unicorn baseball cap, and a magic wand, her confidence sparkles almost as brightly as her outfit. As Lola settles into seat 13A, she can scarcely get comfortable before a bubbly flight attendant named Arshbir makes a call on the intercom: An “emergency” has arisen that “only a mermaid can handle”—is there one on the plane? Lola happily accepts the challenge. More kooky obstacles ensue throughout the flight, requiring the assistance of any ballerina, fairy, and unicorn onboard (each serendipitously aligned with Lola’s clothing). The flight concludes after Lola successfully averts these oddball disasters, leaving the eccentric protagonist feeling calm when she meets up with Gran. In Pechet’s signature scribbly illustrations, Lola has pale skin, while Arshbir’s light-tan skin, sky-blue turban, full beard, and handlebar mustache code him as South Asian. Some young readers might enjoy this story’s absurd hijinks and bold characters, but others may find it long-winded, with images that seem both jarring and a bit flat.(This book was reviewed digitally.)
Despite its zany plot and boisterous pictures, this tale doesn’t quite take off. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 16, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-927917-83-1
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Running the Goat
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader!
Fun with friends makes for a great day.
Norbit, a salmon-colored worm with a pink kerchief, joyfully greets the day and everyone he encounters. “Hello, friends! It’s time for fun with the sun! Let’s play!” He and his menagerie of forest pals—including the sun, who grows limbs and descends from the sky—exuberantly engage in various forms of physical activity such as jumping, going down a slide, spinning around, and watching the clouds go by. Young readers will readily relate, as these are games that most children are familiar with. As day turns to night, Norbit says farewell to Sun and welcomes Moon with an invitation to continue the fun. Watkins has created a vivid world of movement and merriment. Her illustrations feature bright bursts of color that match the energy of the text, with most sentences ending in an exclamation point. The author/illustrator incorporates many elements that make for an ideal early-reading experience (despite the use of a contraction or two): art free from clutter, text consisting of words with only one or two syllables, and repetition and recurring bits, such as a continued game of hide-and-seek with Sun. Inspired by never-before-seen sketches from the Dr. Seuss Collection archives at the University of California San Diego, this is the first title for Seuss Studios, a new imprint for original stories from “emerging authors and illustrators” who “honor Seuss’s hallmark spirit of creativity and imagination.”
Say hello to a relatable and rewarding early reader! (author's note) (Early reader. 5-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9780593646212
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Seuss Studios
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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