A heartening, uplifting story of intergenerational connection.
A boy receives lifelong encouragement from his grandfather in Cermeño’s picture book.
Orphaned as a baby, David is raised by his grandfather, Atun, who provides guidance and support. For instance, when classmates tease young David, Atun urges him to stay strong. The boy repeats his grandfather’s phrase, “El sol no se tapa con un dedo” (“You cannot cover the sun with a single finger”). As David grows up, Atun shares anecdotes, and when David is nervous to audition for the school play, Atun recounts when his own father encouraged him to apply for a job despite others’ doubts. David even seeks Atun’s advice when he’s away at college, and they remain close until Atun’s death. Though devastated, David finds “Strength From Memories,” pursues his dreams, and shares his grandfather’s wisdom with his own son. This slice-of-life tale effectively depicts how family stories are passed down, and the grandfather-grandson relationship will appeal to readers with similar family bonds. Cermeño thoughtfully incorporates how sense-memories have an everlasting impact on one’s life; for example, Atun is soothed by the scent of coffee, which reminds of happy times with his dad. Woodcock provides soft, textured paintings with warm watercolor accents. They follow the story’s events, showing David onstage, young Atun cooking, and characters embracing; the pages are also decorated with coffee splatters.
A heartening, uplifting story of intergenerational connection.Pub Date: April 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-952233-12-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Indie Books International
Review Posted Online: Nov. 27, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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