A lovely, quiet interpretation of some of the most famous verses from the Old Testament, one that will last through many...
Newbery Medalist Rylant continues her series of simplified Bible verse interpretations with this illustrated version of the familiar “to everything there is a season” text, adapted from the King James version of the book of Ecclesiastes.
Rylant’s illustrations are bold and minimalist, with an understated simplicity and a naïve, folk-art sensibility. The striking cover shows a cozy, white house against a lavender background, with a huge sunflower sprouting up almost to the roofline. The acrylic paintings use broad brushstrokes for grass and skies, with a green-budding tree symbolizing “a time to be born” and falling autumn leaves for “a time to die.” A fair-skinned child is shown working in a raised garden bed for “a time to plant” and then delivering flowers to an older white woman with gray hair on the following spread. The illustration for “a time to weep” shows a dark-skinned mother and daughter waving farewell to a departing father; “a time to laugh” depicts the joyous reunion of father and child. That pair of illustrations conveys its own little story that even very young children will immediately recognize. War is conveyed by two bucks battling with locked antlers, and peace is a cow grazing contentedly. Each pair of illustrations is thoughtfully designed and composed, with just enough visual information to convey each concept.
A lovely, quiet interpretation of some of the most famous verses from the Old Testament, one that will last through many seasons. (Picture book/religion. 2-7)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7654-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
The photographs carry this board book even though the presentation and text disappoint.
Diwali, the festival of lights, is one of the largest Hindu festivals, and it’s celebrated all around the world; this nonfiction board book presents its sights, sounds, and celebrations.
Each page of brief, often rhyming text is paired with a vivid photograph depicting wide-eyed toddlers and young children of the Indian diaspora, with dark hair and skin of varying shades of brown. These photographs are the best feature of this book. The text, as narrated by an adult to a young child, talks about the various aspects of the Diwali celebration, including new clothes, prayers, henna, sweets, firecrackers. It occasionally reads awkwardly, and readers may have to hunt for rhymes: “Buy diyas, candles / and paper lanterns.// Henna for hands / and rangoli sand.” With its focus on very young children, the book shows how Diwali is celebrated rather than why. However, notably absent is the holiday’s important community aspect. And although there are multiple mentions of diyas, these beautiful clay lamps that are a highlight of this festival are neither depicted nor explained; neither are such other specialized vocabulary as “jaan” or “rangoli.” A short note at the back of the book gives a smidge more information for older children. There are not many board books for very young kids on this topic, and this one is not everything it could have been.
The photographs carry this board book even though the presentation and text disappoint. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Aug. 28, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4598-1908-5
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
A congenial, readable story best suited for families interested in a secular treatment of this particular slice of Genesis.
After the creation of Earth, a young man called Adam names all the animals and then meets his partner, Eve.
The story opens with the first days of life on Earth as mountains form, plants sprout, and animals arrive. Adam suddenly appears as a young man with brown skin and dark hair. He likes to walk and talk with all the animals and decides he should name every species. The animals form a huge line to receive their monikers, and Adam names them in alphabetical order, from aardvarks to zebras. Some creatures will be familiar to children, but many will be new, such as the dik-dik, the kinkajou, and the matamata. When Adam feels lonely, a female human mysteriously appears and agrees to be Adam’s partner. The young woman also has brown skin and long, dark hair that conveniently covers her body, and she doesn’t need Adam to name her as she already has her own name, Eve. Pleasant illustrations creatively integrate the disparate creatures (labeled unobtrusively) into congenial groupings, although the animals can’t be shown in proper perspective due to space limitations. God and the role of the divine in creation are not mentioned in the text, although that is addressed in an author’s note, which names the source of the story as the biblical book of Genesis. The infamous snake and the apple tree are not included in this interpretation.
A congenial, readable story best suited for families interested in a secular treatment of this particular slice of Genesis. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-68115-530-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Apples & Honey Press
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
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