An accessible religious fable accompanied by beautiful images of the natural world.
A young, struggling tree learns his worth in this debut picture book.
A little tree named Twig is planted at a Southern farm. But he experiences anxiety because he’s different from other trees: “It’s a horrible thing not to feel good about yourself, and Twig definitely did not feel good about himself.” He’s small; he’s a different color; and even as he grows, no buyers ever purchase him to be their Christmas tree. But Mr. B, the farm’s owner, lavishes attention on Twig, telling the tree he saves the best for last. As Mr. B gets ready to go home to the One, the name the trees use for the creator who is celebrated at Christmas, he finally explains why Twig, now grown large, is special. He’s a blue spruce, and he’s not supposed to flourish in such a warm climate. But Mr. B told a friend the One could “make anything grow anywhere,” and Twig was his proof. After Mr. B’s death, the friend, now a believer, creates a park around Twig. Mr. B’s faith and the love he shows for his friend, through Twig, are sure to inspire Christian readers. Hoffman’s choice to narrate from the perspectives of the trees gives children an easy way to grasp the complex issue of religious belief. The lovely illustrations, featuring mostly pale-skinned humans along with a variety of trees and woodland creatures, by watercolor artist Sauber are worth framing.
An accessible religious fable accompanied by beautiful images of the natural world.Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-64543-381-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Mascot Books
Review Posted Online: April 29, 2020
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day.
A collection of poems follows a group of elementary school students as they prepare for and celebrate Valentine’s Day.
One student starts the day by carefully choosing clothing in pink, purple, or red, while a family kicks off the morning with a breakfast of red, heart-shaped pancakes. At school, children create valentines until party time finally arrives with lots of yummy treats. The students give valentines to their school friends, of course, but we also see one child making a “special delivery” to a pet, a stuffed animal, family members, and even the crossing guard. The poems also extend the Valentine’s celebration to the community park, where other couples—some older, one that appears to be same-sex—are struck by cupid’s “magical love arrows.” Note the child running away: “Blech!” Not everyone wants to “end up in love!!!” But the spread devoted to Valentine’s jokes will please readers more interested in humor than in romance and inspire children to create their own jokes. To make the celebration complete, the last pages of the book contain stickers and a double-sided “BEE MINE!” valentine that readers can, with adult help, cut out. Cheery and kid-friendly, the poems can be read independently or from cover to cover as a full story. The cartoonish illustrations include lots of hearts and emphasize the growing Valentine’s Day excitement, depicting a diverse classroom that includes students who use wheelchairs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Effectively captures the excitement surrounding Valentine’s Day. (Picture-book poetry. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-38717-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Grosset & Dunlap
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Readers will delight in discovering the joyous time pumpkins have when it’s Halloween.
Magical moonbeams awaken a pumpkin patch to raucous Halloween-season revelry.
A moonbeam illuminates and energizes a smiley-faced pumpkin sitting alone on a stair; it promptly takes off to find a friend with whom to have a good time. An entire pumpkin patch, also sparked by the magical moon, instantly comes alive. And what merriment all the grinning gourds get up to! Their playful shenanigans include piling high on top of one another, bouncing on a trampoline, dancing, marching, and drumming, wearing costumes, and competing in games. They even engage in activities usually reserved for other holiday-themed icons—flying on brooms and making magic, for instance. As dawn approaches, the pumpkin leader escorts the cavalcade back home. At sunrise, each one takes up residence on a different house’s front porch and awaits that evening’s moonbeams to work their magic again. Liveliness and good cheer abound in this frisky rhyming tale in which the perennial holiday symbols naturally take center stage. Perky couplets that read and scan very well appear on most pages and are accompanied by energetic, expressive illustrations that highlight vivid oranges, yellows, blues, purples, and greens with touches of other bright shades.
Readers will delight in discovering the joyous time pumpkins have when it’s Halloween. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-338-56332-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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