A frank and fulfilling journey of self-acceptance.
A young biracial American girl struggles with her Chinese heritage in Stad’s debut picture book.
“My name is Jade. I live in two worlds. My mama is Chinese and my dad is American. Who am I?” Jade, who presents as Chinese, feels out of place in a society depicted as middle class and overwhelmingly white. She doesn’t want to be different and is embarrassed by her mother’s accent and non-Western behavior (especially her focus on homework and her lack of tactile affection). One night Jade disavows her Chinese heritage, but then she learns of her mama’s family history and reconsiders. Stad narrates in the first person and effectively captures Jade’s insecurities and uneasy search for self-identity. Menson (My Heart Will Stay [2020], etc.) complements the story with a deft, uncluttered drawing style. Some clever imagistic juxtapositions suggest emptiness and uncertainty (when Jade worries about fitting in or not being American enough, for instance) amid swirling shades of red, yellow, and aqua. All of this evokes a rich family history and exudes strength and unity whenever her mom or Chinese culture enter the picture. One of the book’s notable features is that Jade isn’t singled out by those around her. Her sense of not belonging comes from within and is tied to her not knowing her mother’s personal history. Once Jade understands that her mama’s love is no less real or strong for being expressed differently, she can finally embrace her own cultural origins.
A frank and fulfilling journey of self-acceptance.Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2023
ISBN: 9798988378518
Page Count: 31
Publisher: Ginger Lotus Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: Aug. 11, 2026
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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