A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings.
On a snowy afternoon, a mouse grandmother’s cooking aromas attract the noses of her neighbors.
A nice warm sopa, just enough for one, will make things cozy in Abuelita’s sagebrush house. As she cooks, stirs, tastes, and adds ingredients to her pot, the distinct smell of piñon smoke drifts through the wood. “Someone’s cooking something good.” Chipmunk, Rabbit, and Old Bear are determined to find out. “Is it sopa? Neighbors stare. / Three move closer, sniff the air.” But when Abuelita shows them her blue corn soup, the three friends can tell there is enough for only one. Not to worry; Abuelita has a plan for sharing. With each neighbor bringing the last of the fall harvest to Old Bear’s lair, the blue corn soup turns into a friendship stew for all to enjoy. Detailed illustrations drawn in graphite and watercolor washes elicit the charm of these anthropomorphic forest animals dressed in scarves, vest, and hat. The alluringly repetitive rhyme employs the motif of three and moves the story along in an engaging iteration that includes a refrain that’s altered slightly for each character. “Piñon smoke drifts through the wood. / Someone’s cooking something good. / Rabbit bounces, sniffs about. / Is it sopa? He’ll find out.” Three Spanish words—Abuelita, sopa, and amigos—sprinkled throughout are easily understood and add a Latinx flavor, though the decision to italicize the name “Abuelita” is distracting and somewhat off-putting.
A mostly delectable choice for late fall/early winter readings. (recipe) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-58536-967-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: June 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2017
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Willems’ formula is still a winner.
The pigeon is back, and he is filthy!
Readers haven’t seen the pigeon for a couple of years, not since The Duckling Gets a Cookie!? (2012), and apparently he hasn’t bathed in all that time. Per the usual routine, the bus driver (clad in shower cap and bathrobe) opens the story by asking readers to help convince the pigeon to take a bath. Though he’s covered in grime, the obstreperous bird predictably resists. He glares at readers and suggests that maybe they need baths. With the turn of the page, Willems anticipates readers’ energetic denials: The pigeon demands, “YEAH! When was the last time YOU had a bath?!” Another beat allows children to supply the answer. “Oh.” A trio of flies that find him repulsive (“P.U.!”) convinces him it’s time. One spread with 29 separate panels depicts the pigeon adjusting the bath (“Too wet!…Too cold.…Too reflective”) before the page turn reveals him jumping in with a spread-filling “SPLASH!” Readers accustomed to the pigeon formula will note that here the story breaks from its normal rhythms; instead of throwing a tantrum, the pigeon discovers what readers already know: “This is FUN!” All the elements are in place, including page backgrounds that modulate from dirty browns to fresh, clean colors and endpapers that bookend the story (including a very funny turnabout for the duckling, here a rubber bath toy).
Willems’ formula is still a winner. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-9087-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2014
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