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MR. FIORELLO'S HEAD

Name: MR. FIORELLO'S HEAD
Author: Cecilia Ruiz
ISBN: 9781592703791

by Cecilia Ruiz ; illustrated by Cecilia Ruiz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 15, 2023

It’s not what’s on your head that’s important. It’s what’s inside—and in your heart—that counts.

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Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Mr. Fiorello once had lush, curly hair on which he lavished loving attention. Alas, over time, his locks and scalp parted ways, leaving only three long strands atop his pate. (He still retains a ponytail.) One might think Mr. Fiorello would be pleased to still possess some hairs, but while he admires their tenacity, he wants them gone. He tries various methods to lose the stragglers; nothing works. One strategy finally succeeds: When he ignores and accepts the hairs and lets go of what’s beyond his control, voila! the hairs disappear. Mr. Fiorello cries, though whether from happiness or grief, he’s unsure. A glance out his window assures him it’s time for new things to grow, so, applying the painstaking effort he once devoted to his former crowning glory, Mr. Fiorello creates something wondrous in his yard, revealed via an eye-popping gatefold for appreciative neighbors and readers to savor. This is a sweet, simple, quirky story. Children may not have regarded hair growth as analogous to other things’ growth, an idea worth exploring. Lofty ideas—i.e., acceptance of things that can’t be changed and learning to let them go—may fly over kids’ heads. Adults might frown at promulgating the notion that ignoring worries makes them vanish. Still, the lively illustrations are appealing and imaginative; rotund, mustachioed Mr. Fiorello is light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

It’s not what’s on your head that’s important. It’s what’s inside—and in your heart—that counts. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023

ISBN: 9781592703791

Page Count: 64

Publisher: Enchanted Lion Books

Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A GIFT FROM ABUELA
by Cecilia Ruiz ; illustrated by Cecilia Ruiz

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)