An appealing tale for an expanding family.
A picture-book sequel continues to explore the life of a rambunctious, redheaded protagonist as she prepares to become a big sister.
At the outset, Lizzy discovers that she is growing out of some of her clothes, which her mother informs her will be suitable hand-me-downs for her new sibling. As Lizzy comes to terms with the concept of an addition to the family, she discovers a small, beat-up sapling in her backyard. She decides to tend to this tree (“ ‘We can help little one,’ / Lizzy said with a smile. / ‘Come grow and get strong. / Stay with us for a while’ ”). Then the reader watches Lizzy learn to maintain the tree as the seasons pass; she waters it with a hose and makes sure it is warm in winter. As spring flows into summer, “Lizzy’s wee tree / had grown fuller and stronger.” After it outgrows its pot, Lizzy plants her tree in the yard “with love and great care.” The story implies that nurturing this tree will prepare the heroine for caring for her future sibling. Faatz and Trimarco’s (It’s Just So, 2015) tale is written in Dr. Seuss–esque verse, with the occasional nonrhyming line containing an invented word (for example, “Snowbomidable” and “TREEMONDO-MONGOUS”). The poetry flows evenly and should be entertaining for young readers. Trimarco’s illustrations also have a Seussian touch, at least in the characters’ gravity-defying hairstyles. The pictures are clean, colorful, simple, and engaging; they depict a happy Caucasian family and Lizzy’s beloved white dog with distinctive ears. While there is a plethora of picture books dealing with the issue of becoming an older sibling, this one breaks the mold by using the gentle metaphor of the tiny tree to allow young readers to draw their own connections. Lizzy is a cute and relatable protagonist, someone who wants to be an effective helper and a reliable sister. This delightful volume will likely remain a staple for readers anticipating a new baby.
An appealing tale for an expanding family.Pub Date: May 23, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-9970851-2-9
Page Count: 45
Publisher: Notable Kids Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p>
Caregiver-child love abounds in this rhyming board book full of animal puns.
One thing’s for certain, there’s plenty of sweet (and groanworthy) sentiments in this book. Rossner writes, “Giving HOGS and kisses / sends me to the moon!” and, “I’m such a lucky DUCK. / You really QUACK me up!” The book progresses entirely in this fashion, with a new animal pair and pun with each page turn. It reads well as a book for a caregiver to share with a lap-sitting child. On that mark, it succeeds in providing plenty of opportunities for giggles and snuggles. That said, at times the meter is forced, making the cadence a bit stilted, and the cuddles/bubbles rhyme is a dubious one. This is an issue for a book that will almost solely be read aloud. Gibson’s illustrations are very charming; the animals and insects with big eyes and expressive faces have high appeal. The warmth of the animals’ embraces and cuddles translates well from the page, inviting the same snuggles from readers. Decorated eggs appear on each page, and the bunny pair from the cover features prominently. Overall, the concept and message of the book are high interest and age-appropriate, but it doesn’t stand out from the very crowded shelf of “I love you, little one!” books similar to it.
<p>Perfectly fine but nothing new.</p> (Board book. 6 mos.-2)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7282-2343-8
Page Count: 25
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs.
The Heffley family’s house undergoes a disastrous attempt at home improvement.
When Great Aunt Reba dies, she leaves some money to the family. Greg’s mom calls a family meeting to determine what to do with their share, proposing home improvements and then overruling the family’s cartoonish wish lists and instead pushing for an addition to the kitchen. Before bringing in the construction crew, the Heffleys attempt to do minor maintenance and repairs themselves—during which Greg fails at the work in various slapstick scenes. Once the professionals are brought in, the problems keep getting worse: angry neighbors, terrifying problems in walls, and—most serious—civil permitting issues that put the kibosh on what work’s been done. Left with only enough inheritance to patch and repair the exterior of the house—and with the school’s dismal standardized test scores as a final straw—Greg’s mom steers the family toward moving, opening up house-hunting and house-selling storylines (and devastating loyal Rowley, who doesn’t want to lose his best friend). While Greg’s positive about the move, he’s not completely uncaring about Rowley’s action. (And of course, Greg himself is not as unaffected as he wishes.) The gags include effectively placed callbacks to seemingly incidental events (the “stress lizard” brought in on testing day is particularly funny) and a lampoon of after-school-special–style problem books. Just when it seems that the Heffleys really will move, a new sequence of chaotic trouble and property destruction heralds a return to the status quo. Whew.
Readers can still rely on this series to bring laughs. (Graphic/fiction hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3903-3
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2019
SEEN & HEARD
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