by Edwidge Danticat ; illustrated by Shannon Wright ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 26, 2019
A sweet celebration of the special touch that only a mother can give, though perhaps not memorable enough to become a...
A young girl counts the many kinds of Mommy Medicine that make her feel better when she’s down.
Whether she’s sick or simply sad, this brown-skinned girl with large, puffy hair can count on her mom to treat her to doses of Mommy Medicine. Mommy Medicine can feel like kisses, hugs, and massages, or it can taste like Popsicles, tea, or fruit. It can be bubbles, games, or “a whispered prayer, just before nodding off at nap time.” Songs, dances, playing make-believe, watching a movie, or drawing together—even taking “actual medicine, which might taste yummy or YUCKY”—are also possible remedies. The mother closely resembles the girl, and they cuddle, smile, and laugh together on pages full of digital illustrations that give the text just enough color to sustain the story’s momentum. Standout moments include the pair seated on the floor and staring at each other like card sharks over closely held hands of Uno cards, the child swaddled in a blanket, and another of the two of them laughing heartily while snuggling on the couch in front of a movie. Sensory details mark the text with moments of feel-good familiarity, but ultimately the ongoing descriptions add up to little in the way of story.
A sweet celebration of the special touch that only a mother can give, though perhaps not memorable enough to become a favorite. (author’s note) (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: Feb. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-14091-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Nov. 25, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2018
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by Rachel Isadora ; illustrated by Rachel Isadora ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 14, 2017
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this.
A lushly illustrated picture book with a troubling message.
Little Lala walks with her father after his successful day of fishing. When Mama calls her home for bed, a host of “good night”s delays her: to the bird, the monkey, and even the rock. As Lala wanders through her village in the darkening twilight, readers appreciate its expansive beauty and Lala’s simple joys. Although it’s been artfully written and richly illustrated by an award-winning author of many multicultural stories, this book has problems that overshadow its beauty. “African veld” sets the story in southern Africa, but its vague locale encourages Americans to think that distinctions among African countries don’t matter. Lala wears braids or locks that stick straight up, recalling the 19th-century pickaninny, and her inconsistent skin color ranges from deep ebony like her father’s to light brown. Shadows may cause some of these differences, but if it weren’t for her identifiable hair, readers might wonder if the same child wanders from page to page. Perhaps most striking of all is Lala’s bedtime story: not an African tale but an American classic. While this might evoke nostalgia in some readers, it also suggests that southern Africa has no comparably great bedtime books for Lala, perhaps in part because American children’s literature dominates the world market.
If Black Lives Matter, they deserve more specificity than this. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: March 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-17384-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 5, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2016
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by Rachel Isadora ; illustrated by Rachel Isadora
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by Caroline Jayne Church ; illustrated by Caroline Jayne Church ‧ RELEASE DATE: Jan. 27, 2015
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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