A balm for little ones grappling with harsh realities.
All day long, a young Black girl hopes her father will return from work.
When Daddy, an EMT worker, gets home in the evening, he embraces Olivia, and his hugs feel like “one thousand I love yous.” Their mornings are filled with affectionate warnings for Daddy to be safe and careful. Like many Black family members across the United States, Olivia and her mother are filled with fear every time Daddy leaves. As they watch news stories of other fathers who didn’t make it home, time stretches on, creating an atmosphere of anxiety. Mother and daughter fill their days with distractions to make time go faster. After they eat breakfast, Momma styles Olivia’s hair. They draw pictures together, and Olivia braids a bracelet. Finally, Daddy returns home once more. From cover to cover, this book feels like a love song, with sheet music woven throughout the background. The digitally created art has a collagelike feel; deft use of shadow and texture makes the images appear almost three-dimensional in places. Tender and intimate, this is a book that will soothe children enduring the same worries as Olivia. In the author’s note, Thurman pays tribute to George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Trayvon Martin, and others who didn’t make it home; she offers a list of five suggestions for those worried about the safety of their own loved ones.
A balm for little ones grappling with harsh realities. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 16, 2024
ISBN: 9780063140783
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2023
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world.
Be a “somebody” who makes a difference!
A Black child witnesses various transgressions over the course of a day. Noticing trash on the walk to the bus stop, the young narrator thinks, “Somebody should do something about that.” Two students push their way ahead of everyone else in order to get good seats on the school bus, prompting the child to muse, “Somebody should speak up about that.” Throughout the day, the child notices examples of bullying and unfairness. These seemingly minor infractions start mounting. Finally, when the protagonist’s teacher tells the students that it’s snack time, the narrator notices that some students don’t have anything to eat. Instead of wishing for a “somebody,” the perceptive pupil realizes, “I am Somebody” and shares food with the others. The epiphany doesn’t stop there. When the narrator arrives home and notices there are toys everywhere but Mom is on a work call, the child responds to Mom’s request for help by cleaning up the mess. Accompanied by simple yet expressive illustrations, this is a loving and much-needed story that encourages kids to make a difference; pair it with Joshunda Sanders’ I Can Write the World (2019), illustrated by Charly Palmer. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Empowerment to children to be the change they wish to see in the world. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 27, 2023
ISBN: 9780762480517
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Running Press Kids
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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