A bit of science presented with love and joy. Charming.
Everything in the world is new and amazing and sparks wonder in young children.
Dad points out a beautiful rainbow as he walks with his little girl and tells her that rainbows are seen when the sun comes out after it rains. His daughter is wonderstruck and curiously asks, “Why?” That’s only the beginning. Dad’s explanations about color, light refraction, wavelengths, and even the “photon quantum field” grow deeper, more scientific and detailed, only to be greeted with yet another “why?” from the child. Dad grows extremely anxious as he sweats with nerves and is driven to tears endeavoring to satisfy his little girl’s endless curiosity while she seems to delight in the information, embracing it with joy even though it is way above her understanding. She becomes aware of his discomfort and lets him know how much she appreciates him. Then she spots something else that readers know will definitely elicit that question again. The book’s subtitle, “A Sciency, Rhymey Guide to Rainbows,” sets the tone and format. All the science is real and played out within a warm, loving father-daughter relationship. Dunne’s rhyming text and Jefferys’ colorful, eye-catching illustrations are totally in tandem, seamlessly meshing the scientific terminology with increasingly intricate diagrams. The characters are depicted as redheads and present White.
A bit of science presented with love and joy. Charming. (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-84886-648-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Maverick Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2020
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere.
This book is buzzing with trivia.
Follow a swarm of bees as they leave a beekeeper’s apiary in search of a new home. As the scout bees traverse the fields, readers are provided with a potpourri of facts and statements about bees. The information is scattered—much like the scout bees—and as a result, both the nominal plot and informational content are tissue-thin. There are some interesting facts throughout the book, but many pieces of trivia are too, well trivial, to prove useful. For example, as the bees travel, readers learn that “onion flowers are round and fluffy” and “fennel is a plant that is used in cooking.” Other facts are oversimplified and as a result are not accurate. For example, monofloral honey is defined as “made by bees who visit just one kind of flower” with no acknowledgment of the fact that bees may range widely, and swarm activity is described as a springtime event, when it can also occur in summer and early fall. The information in the book, such as species identification and measurement units, is directed toward British readers. The flat, thin-lined artwork does little to enhance the story, but an “I spy” game challenging readers to find a specific bee throughout is amusing.
Friends of these pollinators will be best served elsewhere. (Informational picture book. 8-10)Pub Date: May 18, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-500-65265-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Thames & Hudson
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A delightful story of love and hope.
Families are formed everywhere—including large metropolitan mass-transit systems!
Baby Kevin, initially known as “Danny ACE Doe,” was found in the New York City’s 14th Street subway station, which serves the A-C-E lines, by one of his future fathers, Danny. Kevin’s other father, Pete (author Mercurio), serves as the narrator, explaining how the two men came to add the newborn to their family. Readers are given an abridged version of the story from Danny and Pete’s point of view as they work to formally adopt Kevin and bring him home in time for Christmas. The story excels at highlighting the determination of loving fathers while still including realistic moments of hesitation, doubt, and fear that occur for new and soon-to-be parents. The language is mindful of its audience (for example using “piggy banks” instead of “bank accounts” to discuss finances) while never patronizing young readers. Espinosa’s posterlike artwork—which presents the cleanest New York readers are ever likely to see—extends the text and makes use of unexpected angles to heighten emotional scenes and moments of urgency. The diversity of skin tones, ages, and faces (Danny and Pete both present white, and Kevin has light brown skin) befits the Big Apple. Family snapshots and a closing author’s note emphasize that the most important thing in any family is love. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.3-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 43% of actual size.)
A delightful story of love and hope. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-525-42754-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
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