Not particularly original but a sweet addition to the shelf of translated picture books.
Two neighbors could not be more different than Mr. Gray and Miss Frolic.
Mr. Gray is a numbers man and a famous professor. Everything about him is gray: his house, his dog, Tuffy, his clothes, and even his canary. He also hates noise, so he is forever annoyed with his neighbor, Frieda Frolic, who disturbs his morning meditations by “cheerfully warbling, singing, and laughing” and puttering about her garden with her piglet, Rosa. Miss Frolic is quite colorful; in fact, she is a painter. One afternoon, she is painting an especially beautiful and lifelike yellow bird when it comes to life and flies over to Mr. Gray’s house. He is just about to tell Miss Frolic off when she removes her sunglasses. He sees her beautiful blue-gray eyes and is smitten. They begin spending much time together. Mr. Gray becomes more colorful, and eventually, he proposes marriage. The two sail off together in “life’s boat” with a now happy Tuffy, Rosa the piglet, Miss Frolic’s yellow bird, and Mr. Gray’s no-longer-gray canary. First published in Switzerland (Herr Grau & Frieda Fröhlich, 2021), this translation by Wilson tells a simple, unlikely love story with colored-pencil illustrations that are charming and mirror Mr. Gray’s journey from drab to fab. There is a lot of text for a picture book, and because of the small font, this book is probably best shared one-on-one. The protagonists are White. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Not particularly original but a sweet addition to the shelf of translated picture books. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4473-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: March 1, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners.
What can you do when things go wrong?
Two children contemplate different ways to calm themselves down in this straightforward introduction to breathing, relaxation, and mindfulness. The younger, White-presenting child follows suit when the older, brown-skinned child proposes imaginative calming techniques. They picture themselves as various animals (goldfish, elephants, dragons) and objects (pinwheels, dandelions, wind chimes, flowers), inhaling and exhaling, that make deep breathing and calming down concrete and easy to comprehend. Simplified, whimsical illustrations add a touch of humor and a wink to the 1970s while preventing the story from becoming cloying, as soft, gentle instructions help the characters (and listeners) to understand some of the mechanics behind how to intentionally breathe and decompress. While not necessarily something that children will pick up unless they are learning about practicing mindfulness, this informative title has charm and warmth and will give youngsters some ideas as to how to self-regulate and manage their feelings as they learn to be aware of their breathing. Endpapers feature a multiracial array of children’s faces expressing different emotions.
A soothing, logical, and playful introduction to mindfulness for young listeners. (author's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 13, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-77164-637-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Greystone Kids
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2021
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