With jaunty rhymes and a spunky heroine brimming with a go-to attitude, Kirk’s sprightly tale encourages readers to let their inner star shine. From the moment she boards the bus until school is out, Keisha approaches her day with a confident attitude and a smile to match. Keisha models persistence even when things go awry and minds proper manners as she makes her way through a typical school day that includes all the minutiae of school life, from passing out paints to signing artwork. Kirk’s boldly colored gouache illustrations seem to shimmer with African-American Keisha’s ebullience and energy. With its gentle lessons in behavior, this charismatic tale will offer guidance to and bolster the self-esteem of readers both new to school as well as seasoned students. One caveat: Readers of a certain generation may find themselves reading aloud to the rhythm of the “Candy Man” song. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: May 1, 2008
ISBN: 978-0-399-24179-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2008
This is one doctor kids will be happy to visit.
When you’re down, who ya gonna call? Dr. Color Monster!
A young girl named Nuna, who has paper-white skin and dark pigtails, is feeling strange, so she visits Dr. Color Monster, a green, snaggle-toothed, horned monster who “helps heal emotions.” She tells him that yesterday she did something she didn’t want to do (readers don’t find out what). His examination reveals that Nuna’s discomfort level is high. Out comes the emotions toolkit, filled with self-soothing marvels such as a soft blanket, a stuffed toy, a hug, photos of loved ones, and more. Dr. Color Monster and Nuna take deep, relaxing breaths together. He advises a few remedies: squeezing clay, drawing a picture of her discomfort, blowing bubbles, dancing, and saying words, free association–style. Nuna concludes the visit with a big hug, which happily cures her. Before she leaves, the doctor gives her the “no” syrup—something to take in case she needs to steel her resolve and say no to people in the future. Originally published in Spain and translated from Catalan, this wise and gently humorous tale from art therapist Llenas will reassure readers that they, too, can find relief when they feel overwhelming or scary emotions; at least some of the soothing ideas in the toolkit are readily obtainable. The colorfully scrawled illustrations are appealingly childlike.
This is one doctor kids will be happy to visit. (create your own emotions toolkit, message to families and educators) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 7, 2024
ISBN: 9780316574525
Page Count: 56
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Feb. 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom.
A multicultural girl-power manifesto featuring a feisty young girl who faces her day as a knight on an epic quest.
The unnamed narrator puts on her “armor” (a rainbow sweater) and fills her “treasure chest” (a backpack). Venturing forth to “explore new worlds,” she drives back “dragons” (neighborhood dogs on their walk), boards the “many-headed serpent” (her school bus, with schoolmates’ heads protruding from every window), and visits “the Mountain of Knowledge” (the school library) to “solve the mysteries of the unknown.” After standing up for her beliefs—by joining a classmate sitting alone in the cafeteria—the young girl returns home to rest in the lap of an older female relative, possibly a grandparent/primary caregiver, to prepare for the next day, when she can be “fierce again.” Birdsong’s repeated refrain—“I will be fierce!”—underlines the unambiguous message of this sassy picture book, and Chanani’s bold and energetic illustrations reinforce the text’s punchy, feminist-y declarations. They depict a joyously multiracial environment, consciously tackling stereotypes with an elderly, white, female bus driver and a groovy, Asian-presenting librarian with a green streak in her hair. The fierce protagonist herself has brown skin and fluffy, dark brown hair, and her caregiver also has brown skin.
Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-29508-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2019
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