Powerfully demonstrates the wonders imagination can dream up…and how quickly reality can crash back in.
Siblings + rocks + running water + imagination = adventure.
In this tale translated from German, Lily and May are building a dam near their house. Their younger brother, Noah, adds his special green rock to the dam but quickly loses interest and decides to fish instead. As the girls continue to work, readers will become aware that Noah is suddenly fishing not from the dam, but from a fishing boat that’s come into view, and in the distance, there are ship’s sails. A king arrives, and while he refuses to schlep rocks, his men help. Suddenly, the king calls for help against a pirate attack. May and Lily echo his call, telling the pirates to join in the building, and they daren’t refuse. Even the king pitches in. “It would have been a really good day if Noah hadn’t wanted his stone back….” As the three soaked sibs drink Mom-supplied hot chocolate, they dream of tomorrow’s imaginary adventures. Di Giorgio’s perspective remains the same as the children build, allowing readers to immediately recognize the changes that happen between the page turns: the growing dam, the arrival of a boat and then a ship, the unfolding imaginary scene. The rocks are wonderfully textured and patterned. May and her mother have light skin and dark hair, Lily has light brown skin and Afro-textured hair, and Noah has light skin and blond hair. The king, his men, and the pirates are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Powerfully demonstrates the wonders imagination can dream up…and how quickly reality can crash back in. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: May 23, 2023
ISBN: 9780735845015
Page Count: 32
Publisher: NorthSouth
Review Posted Online: March 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2023
A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections.
A young rabbit frets about her upcoming violin performance in Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey’s literary debut.
Mei Mei’s dream—“to share her music with the world”—is about to come true. She’s having her very first recital, complete with an orchestra, at the H’Opera House. But the day before the concert, Mei Mei is racked with anxiety. What if she plays a bum note in front of everyone? Sure enough, the worst happens mid-performance: She hits a clinker. But by remembering her mom’s reassuring sentiments from the night before (“Feel the wind…find the notes to make it right”), Mei Mei summons the strength to soldier on, and “wrong notes become right. Dissonance becomes beautiful.” At times, it all feels more like a resilience parable than a story, and the writing can be precious (“The flutter of butterflies wakes Mei Mei from her slumber”). Still, the message is solid, bolstered by O’Hara’s pencil and watercolor illustrations, which are plush-toy soft—fitting, as even prior to this book’s publication, a stuffed Mei Mei has been for sale at Grammy winner Laufey’s website. The tale features an all-animal, all-adorable cast, and endearingly, the art betrays no hint of modern times. A standout image presents Mei Mei onstage, temporarily incapacitated by her mistake and imagining her fellow musicians and their instruments with the color-blasted menace of an expressionist painting.
A reassuring riff on embracing imperfections. (author’s note, glossary) (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 21, 2026
ISBN: 9798217051748
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2026
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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