A heartfelt story that’s hampered by awkward and lackluster execution.
A young child won’t smile, but her family is determined to change that in this picture book by Weisberg and Yoffe.
Aunt Jane offers little Emmie beautiful flowers, comedic Cousin Frank attempts funny faces, and Nana Sheila cooks beloved childhood recipes, but none of these attempts result in Emmie expressing joy. Undeterred, the whole family tries again, this time surprising Emmie with a gift-wrapped toy—but even that doesn’t bring forth a smile. Nana has one last idea: a loving hug, which works, and the rest of the family all joins the embrace. This picture book has a modest but appealing message: A person can bestow many lovely gifts, but sometimes what lightens a loved one’s heart is a simpler gesture. This second edition of Weisberg and Yoffe’s picture book is an adaptation of a CGI-animated short film by the same name, produced by Lonely Lane; the illustrations appear to be photographic stills from that film, with little adjustment to suit the new format. As a result, the images aren’t very crisp, and some details and facial expressions appear indistinct or murky. Some pages feature several frames clustered together, which makes the spreads look overly busy. Emmie and her family members are all portrayed with pale skin.
A heartfelt story that’s hampered by awkward and lackluster execution.Pub Date: March 17, 2026
ISBN: 9798243696586
Page Count: 45
Publisher: Independently Published
Review Posted Online: June 4, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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