A poignant family reunion story but also a telling glimpse into the lives of military families.
A family prepares for Daddy’s return from military service in Cino’s picture book.
Sarah, a little girl with long brown hair in a red bow, fair skin with rosy cheeks, and wearing a yellow dress, narrates the story of the day Daddy comes home. Sarah has put sprinkles on Daddy’s favorite cupcakes and then helps her big brother Lucas put finishing touches on a “Welcome Home” sign with a drawing of Daddy and the American flag. When it’s time to go, Sara, Lucas, and Mommy get in the truck and drive to the base where many other families are already waiting to see their returning loved ones. Inside the hangar at the base, there are children playing, a buffet with cookies, and a lot of excitement. Eventually everyone goes outside to watch as five planes touch down, one after the next, and taxi in formation toward the hangar: “Tiny green figures climb down onto the pavement. The butterflies in my belly are fluttering faster now.” Daddy spots his family, and the reunion is filled with hugs and tears of joy. Deberd’s realistic illustrations in muted tones seem shrouded in an almost dreamlike haze, like snippets of memory rendered in watercolor. While the illustrations don’t add a lot to the storytelling, they keep up with the pace of the narration, capturing the family’s excitement punctuated by busy work and waiting. Cino’s prose is in first-person present and in Sarah’s voice, which is as descriptive as it is emotional and introspective. For example, when waiting in traffic, Sarah counts the cars ahead of them: “Butterflies flutter in my belly as I stare out at the other cars. I wonder if the people inside them feel as nervous and impatient as I do.” The narrative is simple—it’s just a few hours in the day of one family—without a lot of characterization or embellishments. Daddy is coming home and that’s the only thing that matters.
A poignant family reunion story but also a telling glimpse into the lives of military families.Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9798988925163
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whimspire Books
Review Posted Online: June 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
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A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated.
Bill Martin Jr and John Archambault’s classic alphabet book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (1989) gets the Halloween treatment.
Chung follows the original formula to the letter. In alphabetical order, each letter climbs to the top of a tree. They are knocked back to the ground in a jumble before climbing up in sequence again. In homage to the spooky holiday theme, they scale a “creaky old tree,” and a ghostly jump scare causes the pileup. The chunky, colorful art is instantly recognizable. The charmingly costumed letters (“H swings a tail. / I wears a patch. J and K don / bows that don’t match”) are set against a dark backdrop, framed by pages with orange or purple borders. The spreads feature spiderwebs and jack-o’-lanterns. The familiar rhyme cadence is marred by the occasional clunky or awkward phrase; in particular, the adapted refrain of “Chicka chicka tricka treat” offers tongue-twisting fun, but it’s repeatedly followed by the disappointing half-rhyme “Everybody sneaka sneak.” Even this odd construction feels shoehorned into place, since “sneaking” makes little sense when every character in the book is climbing together. The final line of the book ends on a more satisfying note, with “Everybody—time to eat!”
A bit predictable but pleasantly illustrated. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781665954785
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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