Wonder what these two will “invent” next?
The Stone Age father and son of Cave Dada (2020) are back, and this time Dada must produce an egg for his child’s breakfast. Or else.
Unfortunately, once the heavy rectangular stone door is pulled aside (with great difficulty) by Dada, the ancient fridge shelves reveal no egg. And soon enough, a clumsy mammoth puts paid to the fridge door, the biggest piece coming to rest across the stones surrounding the fire (discovered in the previous book). Dada attempts to entice the tot to eat something else: cheese? “No! Has holes!” Onion? “Too stink!” Spinach? “It touch onion!” With each pronouncement, Baba tosses the foods away from his stone highchair, and they land atop the demolished door. Dada points to each item on the fridge shelves, to no avail. Although “Dad no want hunt gather. Dada day off…Dada want relax,” his tot’s temper tantrum forces him out to raid the nest of what appears to be a ginormous chicken. Just when breakfast is in his grasp…oops! The omelet has been invented. Reese’s illustrations are just as hilarious as in the duo’s first outing, combining single- and double-page spreads with comic panels to trace the emotional roller coaster that parenting sometimes is, though one might wish that the father were portrayed in a less stereotypical light next time. Facial expressions are masterful; both have light skin and wear furs, the tyke as a diaper.
Wonder what these two will “invent” next? (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 27, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7995-7
Page Count: 44
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A delightful modern tall tale sure to entertain and inspire readers to share (and embroider) their own stories.
When Ramsey’s grandma, who is just a wee bit grumpy, sees his painting of an octopus, she’s inspired to make pulpo guisado—octopus stew—and adventure ensues.
Ramsey and Grandma, both Afro-Latinx, head to the store, where they find an octopus with wide and expressive eyes—Ramsey suspects it is still alive. He searches his phone for information about octopuses and gets a warning he tries to share with his grandmother, but she is too annoyed at the interruption to listen. Once home, Grandma cleans the octopus, but shortly after the creature is dropped into boiling water, noises come from the kitchen they can’t explain. In the kitchen, they see the octopus has escaped the pot. It is now a giant monster Ramsey must fight in order to save Grandma, who is being squeezed by the octopus’s arms. At the height of the action, the story is interrupted by Ramsey’s father, who declares disbelief in a double gate-fold revealing that Ramsey is telling this story to his rapt family, making it both an entertaining tale in itself and a comment on the power of storytelling. This narrative is related primarily in English with some accompanying, unitalicized Spanish phrases. The backmatter includes an author’s note, a Spanish glossary with pronunciation key, and a recipe for octopus stew.
A delightful modern tall tale sure to entertain and inspire readers to share (and embroider) their own stories. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 17, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8234-3754-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019
A moving and meaningful way to talk about a situation many families will face.
Every few years a new picture book takes on the subject of dementia and memory loss; this is that title for 2018.
Not since Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge, by Mem Fox and illustrated by Julie Vivas (1984), has the topic been handled with such gentle compassion, using the metaphor of memory-filled balloons to explore it. Explaining a confounding disease to young children is difficult, and the notion of the titular balloons is initially confusing. As the story—and the disease as it manifests in the narrator’s grandfather—progresses, the idea of storing memories in balloons is increasingly effective. Children understand the ephemeral nature of balloons. Gray-toned line drawings quietly convey James and Grandpa’s loving relationship even as Grandpa is beginning to forget the details of his life. The brightly colored balloons stand out against the white background in stark contrast to Grandpa’s fading memory. Placing the memory vignettes in full-page tinted balloons helps clarify their position in the story and makes this abstract metaphor more concrete for young readers. Both Grandpa and Dad have curly hair and dark skin, and Mom is white. Biracial James and Grandpa’s shared heritage and stories of their loving family shine. What is clear is that their memories matter—to them and ultimately to readers.
A moving and meaningful way to talk about a situation many families will face. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-8915-7
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 10, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2018
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