In this sweet story, scary things may remain scary, but pushing past them yields enormous rewards.
Doerrfeld expands her repertoire of stories featuring social and emotional learning with a tale of baby turtles and enormous waves.
After Nellie hatches alongside her many siblings, she’s overwhelmed to see how far they’ll have to travel to reach the ocean. Once they make it, the others dive happily into the surf, but Nellie takes one look at the pounding, terrifying waves and heads in the other direction. Each time Nellie thinks she has the situation under control (she tries to hide, run away, and rely on someone bigger and stronger), something comes along to change her mind. Scaling the nearby cliffs, she finds herself alone and lonely, but from her high vantage point, she realizes that the waves may be daunting, but there’s more to the ocean than she initially thought; in fact, it’s beautiful. Few young readers will blame Nellie for wanting to escape, and whether or not they pick up on the obvious messaging is less important than Nellie’s own personal journey. Her attempts to avoid her troubles carry hints of beloved titles such as Ashley Spires’ The Most Magnificent Thing (2014). The adorable, thick-lined digital art featuring a beguilingly expressive, large-headed, big-eyed, tiny turtle makes adept use of perspective, driving home the lesson.
In this sweet story, scary things may remain scary, but pushing past them yields enormous rewards. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593856291
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2025
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
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can.
Dedicating his latest to “caregivers who give what they never got,” Caldecott Honor winner Robinson explores complicated feelings around fatherhood.
From the outset, the book appears to be a standard-issue Father’s Day offering, pairing brief, loving sentiments with images of animals. But it soon becomes clear that Robinson has crafted something much more complex. A frog with tadpoles nestled atop his back (“Dad is here”) is followed by an illustration of an owl leaving the nest (“Dad had to go away”). More contrasts are presented: a seahorse keeping his offspring safe in his pouch (“Dad holds on tight”), two shark pups swimming away from their frenzied-looking patriarch (“Dad need lots of space”). “Dad lets you down and makes mistakes” (a porcupine accidentally jabs his little one), but “Dad picks you up and makes you feel safe” (a lion snuggles his cub). And the human fathers we meet next—diverse in skin tone and ability—are equally multifaceted. Robinson outdoes himself, his bold and richly textured paint and collage artwork popping against the background. His artwork is rife with subtleties for careful readers—for instance, the look of uncertainty in the eyes of the gorilla father described as “strong.” For all its simplicity, this colorful book is laden with meaning, depicting fathers as vulnerable, imperfect, gentle, and empathetic—in a word, deeply human.
A powerful affirmation for all dads—the good, the flawed, and those doing the best they can. (more information on the animals presented) (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 12, 2026
ISBN: 9781250397041
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2026
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