A heartwarming lesson in empathy and kindness.
When a sad and tired-looking stranger arrives hauling a big suitcase, the animals that greet him are curious. What will they make of him and the contents of his suitcase?
Right from the start readers know the creature doesn’t belong in the same surroundings as the three familiar-looking earthy-toned animals that greet him: a fox, a bunny, and a bird. The stranger has an unidentifiable shape, and his skin is a pretty shade of teal. He tells them the suitcase contains a teacup, a wooden chair and table, “and there’s a little kitchen in a wooden cabin where I make my tea. That’s my home.” Naturally, the animals don’t believe that’s possible. When the tired stranger curls up to rest, they look inside the suitcase. What they find is indeed what the stranger claimed—but not quite. In a two-page spread that will break readers’ hearts the contents are revealed: a broken teacup and an old photo of the stranger’s home, exactly as he’s described it. The suitcase makes a poignant metaphor for the stranger’s memories of a home left behind. The tension builds as the animals make sense of their discovery and the stranger dreams of the hardship and loss he has endured before finally waking up, all depicted in beautiful, gestural lines and delicate application of color. In a show of empathy and understanding, the animals glue his teacup back together and re-create his old home. The stranger, no longer a stranger, has found friends and a new home.
A heartwarming lesson in empathy and kindness. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 29, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-358-32960-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
PERSPECTIVES
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
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)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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