Bold and stirring.
Understand your story and listen to others’.
An unseen narrator muses on how special everyone is through a series of connected passages that will leave readers contemplating their places in the world. Readers are reminded that they are many things: someone’s child, an animal, a body of water (mostly), and much more. The text is informative and inspirational: “You are a sponge. You are constantly soaking up new information. You are a student of the world. You learn by trying new things. You absorb everything you see, hear, taste, smell, and touch.” As the declarations continue, a diverse group of children with different skin tones, hair textures, and physical abilities explore and interact with their world and with each other. Accompanied by appealing digital illustrations that have an intimate, collagelike feel, the story is a little nonfiction (with a few facts about the solar system, water, and more sprinkled in) and a lot pep talk and will hopefully inspire young readers and caregivers alike to remember that we are all unique and that we each contain multitudes. The final message is perhaps the most profound: “You are a story. You are the author of your life. Every day is a blank page waiting for you to fill it. Make your story funny. Make it an adventure. Tell your story to others. Then listen to theirs.” That final sentence is an important reminder for readers of all ages. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Bold and stirring. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4914-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Neal Porter/Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 26, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2022
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
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BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
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)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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