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FELIX AFTER THE RAIN

Name: FELIX AFTER THE RAIN
Author: Dunja Jogan
ISBN: 978-1-910328-58-3

by Dunja Jogan ; illustrated by Dunja Jogan ; translated by Olivia Hellewell ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2020

A jubilant, visually dramatic allegory.

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Unhappy Felix finds himself always carrying a heavy black suitcase.

He walks far, all the time toting this inhibiting weight. He doesn’t know exactly what is inside, but “something dark” or “something bothersome” creeps within after unhappy moments in Felix’s life. When Felix pauses his trek to take a nap, a young boy comes along and opens the suitcase. The sky turns gray and Felix sheds “tears that [run] down his cheeks like the rain.” But once the storm passes, Felix’s burden is no more. He revels in the world around him, giving out hugs to those he meets (with permission), and returns home “empty handed but with a heart full of happiness.” The scenery mirrors Felix’s emotional outlook: Black and gray surround him in the beginning and are released from the suitcase, but colors burst to life everywhere after the storm dissipates. Jogan’s illustrations are an organic mixture of swirls and many painterly textures. Each page turn yields a double-page spread, so the images are sweeping; this is appropriate, as the illustrations effectively carry the emotional resonance of the story while the succinct, translated Slovenian text supports them. This symbolic tale leaves a few gaps (is the child who opens the suitcase a younger Felix, hinted by their similar clothing?) but effectively communicates a moral of emotional honesty and freedom.

A jubilant, visually dramatic allegory. (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: June 2, 2020

ISBN: 978-1-910328-58-3

Page Count: 28

Publisher: Tiny Owl

Review Posted Online: March 14, 2020

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2020

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: April 1, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Kids Can

Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

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NO MOUSIE LEFT BEHIND
developed by Ashley Spires ; adapted by Naseem Hrab ; illustrated by Mike Shiell

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT MAKER'S A TO Z
by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)