IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE

Name: IT ONLY TAKES A MINUTE
Author: Bracha Goetz
ISBN: 978-1-945560-02-6

by Bracha Goetz ; illustrated by Bill Bolton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2017

Readers may find themselves thinking about important spiritual concepts after they close the book, even if they finish it in...

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Some parents may find that they need this picture book more than their children do.

The book is a sort of checklist. It describes tiny acts of kindness that people can perform in about 60 seconds: “It only takes a minute to smile at people, especially those who really seem to need a smile.” Other items on the list aren’t so much acts as moments of quiet contemplation: “It only takes a minute to look more closely at the things I see—like a flower, and a fluffy white cloud, and the bright blue sky…and to remember Who made all those lovely things.” The book is clearly addressed to an observant Jewish audience. All the boys in the pictures are wearing skullcaps. (Most of the characters are white, but one of the Jewish boys has brown skin.) But with so much political turmoil in the headlines, even less-religious readers may appreciate the general philosophy and find the book a calming alternative to watching the news. (The endpapers are filled with pictures of clanging clocks and bells, cleverly designed to make readers appreciate calmness and mindfulness.) The repetitive format means that the story lacks drama, but these days, drama is the last thing some people need.

Readers may find themselves thinking about important spiritual concepts after they close the book, even if they finish it in a matter of minutes . (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2017

ISBN: 978-1-945560-02-6

Page Count: 20

Publisher: Hachai

Review Posted Online: Aug. 20, 2017

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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CINDERELLA

From the Once Upon a World series

by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Sandra Equihua ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016

A nice but not requisite purchase.

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A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.

Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.

A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
THE LITTLE MERMAID
adapted by Hannah Eliot ; illustrated by Nivea Ortiz

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

- BOOK REVIEW
RAPUNZEL
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

- BOOK REVIEW
THE PRINCESS AND THE PEA
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Dinara Mirtalipova

- BOOK REVIEW
RAPUNZEL
by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan

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PICK A PERFECT EGG

by Patricia Toht ; illustrated by Jarvis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2023

Egg-stra special.

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The creators of Pick a Pine Tree (2017) and Pick a Pumpkin (2019) cover each step of a popular Easter tradition.

The first stop for a light-skinned caregiver and child is the farm. Peering into the henhouse, they spot an egg (reminding readers that eggs don’t originate at the grocery store). More eggs are collected throughout the spring countryside and brought home, ready to hard boil. While the eggs are cooling, it’s time to prepare the dye! The lively text highlights natural methods first (“Stew some plants / to make a brew: / beets turn eggs / a rosy hue. / Spinach? Green! / Berries? Blue! / Try some herbs / or spices, too”) but also gives a nod to store-bought kits. After a full day of egg decorating, the youngster wakes up the next morning for a festive neighborhood egg hunt. Happily, treats found inside plastic eggs are not limited to sugar only; they include secret notes, tiny toys, and coins, too. (The child adds their dyed eggs to this bounty.) Sprays of bright greens, a shining sun, and dotted buds on trees as well as pastel bunting and fuzzy bunny ears and flower crowns on little ones bring a light, airy lift to this joyful community gathering. The children involved in the egg hunt are diverse in skin tone. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Egg-stra special. (Picture book. 3-6)