Nevertheless, an infectiously warm celebration of friendship.
A childhood friendship remains steady and true throughout teenage years and beyond into adult life and marriage.
Despite mishaps, flaws and good-natured teasing, Cecilia and Miguel maintain strong ties—even when, for example, her fishing results in a nice catch while his line gets tangled or when at an Easter party, much to her chagrin, he purposely cracks his cascarones (confetti-filled eggs) over her head. Situations like these might create animosity or resentment, but Cecilia and Miguel’s commitment to each other only grows. Their disappointment at her quinceañera dance, when Miguel sits out with a broken leg, presages a long-distance relationship during college years that eventually leads to proposal, wedding and parenthood. The simple, bilingual text repeats the titular lines in both English and Spanish on every double-page spread, introducing a succession of events that tie them together as they grow older. These are illustrated with “snapshots” depicting the various vignettes, with a smaller, scene-setting image separating the blocks of text and a larger, facing one on the opposite page. Readers from outside the culture will need to work out such concepts as quinceañera, cascarones and flan from the illustrations, as there is no glossary. “Best friends forever” is universal in most children’s experience, though taking it all the way through marriage and parenthood is a wee bit far-fetched.
Nevertheless, an infectiously warm celebration of friendship. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 31, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55885-794-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2014
An effective early chapter book conveyed in a slightly overdone gag.
Epistolary dispatches from the eternal canine/feline feud.
Simon the cat is angry. He had done a good job taking care of his boy, Andy, but now that Andy’s parents are divorced, a dog named Baxter has moved into Andy’s dad’s house. Simon believes that there isn’t enough room in Andy’s life for two furry friends, so he uses the power of the pen to get Baxter to move out. Inventively for the early-chapter-book format, the story is told in letters written back and forth; Simon’s are impeccably spelled on personalized stationery while Baxter’s spelling slowly improves through the letters he scrawls on scraps of paper. A few other animals make appearances—a puffy-lipped goldfish who for some reason punctuates her letter with “Blub…blub…” seems to be the only female character (cued through stereotypical use of eyelashes and red lipstick), and a mustachioed snail ferries the mail to and fro. White-appearing Andy is seen playing with both animals as a visual background to the text, as is his friend Noah (a dark-skinned child who perhaps should not be nicknamed “N Man”). Cat lovers will appreciate Simon’s prickliness while dog aficionados will likely enjoy Baxter’s obtuse enthusiasm, and all readers will learn about the time and patience it takes to overcome conflict and jealousy with someone you dislike.
An effective early chapter book conveyed in a slightly overdone gag. (Fiction. 6-8)Pub Date: May 12, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4492-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen.
Words addressed to children aimed at truth-telling, encouraging, and inspiring are accompanied by pictures of children of color going about their days.
“This story is about you,” the narrator opens, as a black boy looks up toward readers, a listening expression on his face. A multiracial group of children romp in a playground to encouraging words: “you are… / a dancer / a singer / in charge of the game.” Then comes a warning about the “whispers” out in the world that “tell you who you are / But only you and love decide.” There is advice about what to do when you “think there is nowhere safe”: “Watch a bird soar / and think, / Me too.” It asks readers to wonder: “If there was a sign on your chest / what would it say?” Children argue and show frustration and anger for reasons unclear to readers, then they hold up signs about themselves, such as “I am powerful” and “I am talented.” A girl looks hurt, and a boy looks “tough” until someone finds them “sitting there wondering / when the sky will blue.” While the words are general, the pictures specify a teacher, who is brown-skinned with straight black hair, as one who “can see you.” While young readers may find the wording unusual, even obscure in places, the nurturing message will not be lost.
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68446-021-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
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