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SONG ON THE WIND

Name: SONG ON THE WIND
Author: Caroline Everson
ISBN: 978-1-927083-30-7

by Caroline Everson ; illustrated by Anne Marie Bourgeois ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2018

A joy

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Long ago and far away, a song was sung on the wind and is still journeying to soothe children to slumber.

It begins when an Indigenous child wrapped in her mother’s warm arms requests a lullaby about the sea. This mother begins, “In a long-ago place in a faraway time / A story was sung to the wind. / Mama told it to me, and I’ll tell it to you, / And the wind might catch it again,” and sings about the vast beauty of the saltwater world below an endless sky. The song goes next to a fishing vessel, where a pale-skinned boy asks his fisherman father for a story about a world of ice. His papa tells him of a faraway land covered in snow and ice. The song then passes to an Arctic Native grandmother and a young, brown-skinned child in a crib, listening to the stories on the wind outside the window. With each singer, the refrain varies slightly to suit. Historically around the globe, adult caregivers have comforted children by singing them to sleep. Everson’s 14 beautiful verses have the potential to continue this tradition. Her serene words are complemented by Native artist Bourgeois’ surreal, luminous illustrations. Muted and otherworldly, the colors and images bring depth to the text, bathing each of the families depicted with light.

A joy . (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: April 1, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-927083-30-7

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Fifth House

Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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CLOTHESLINE CLUES TO JOBS PEOPLE DO

From the Clothesline Clues series

by Kathryn Heling Deborah Hembrook & illustrated by Andy Robert Davies ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 1, 2012

Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun.

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Heling and Hembrook’s clever conceit challenges children to analyze a small town’s clotheslines to guess the job each of their owners does.

Close-up on the clothesline: “Uniform and cap, / an invite for you. / Big bag of letters. / What job does she do?” A turn of the page reveals a macro view of the home, van and the woman doing her job, “She is a mail carrier.” Indeed, she can be spotted throughout the book delivering invitations to all the rest of the characters, who gather at the end for a “Launch Party.” The verses’ rhymes are spot-on, though the rhythm falters a couple of times. The authors nicely mix up the gender stereotypes often associated with several of these occupations, making the carpenter, firefighter and astronaut women. But while Davies keeps uniforms and props pretty neutral (he even avoids U.S. mail symbols), he keeps to the stereotypes that allow young readers to easily identify occupations—the farmer chews on a stalk of wheat; the beret-wearing artist sports a curly mustache. A subdued palette and plain white backgrounds keep kids’ focus on the clothing clues. Still, there are plenty of details to absorb—the cat with arched back that anticipates a spray of water, the firefighter who “lights” the rocket.

Pair this with Leo Timmers’ Who Is Driving? (2007) for twice the guessing fun. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: July 1, 2012

ISBN: 978-1-58089-251-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Charlesbridge

Review Posted Online: May 15, 2012

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2012

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
CLOTHESLINE CLUES TO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies

- BOOK REVIEW
CLOTHESLINE CLUES TO SPORTS PEOPLE PLAY
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies

- BOOK REVIEW
GRADUATION GROOVE
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda

- BOOK REVIEW
CLOTHESLINE CLUES TO THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Andy Robert Davies

- BOOK REVIEW
THERE'S ONLY ONE YOU
by Kathryn Heling & Deborah Hembrook ; illustrated by Rosie Butcher

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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)