A delightfully illustrated, one-of-a-kind Greenfield creation that will have readers wishing for another.
A day in the life of an aspiring young thespian.
Alaina, a little Black girl with long locs and a missing front tooth, awakens to her mother’s original Alaina-wake-up song. Immediately excited, she can’t wait for the second grade school play, which prompts her to jump up and down on her bed—until a look from Mom says, “stop that right now.” Alaina hurriedly prepares for her day. Though only a kindergartner, Alaina will say the last five words of the play, which she practices as her mom walks her to school through their urban neighborhood. After lunch, Miss Wheeler gathers everyone for the performance, and Alaina recites her lines again for the teacher. During the production, Alaina marvels at how realistically the second graders act out the emotions of their college-age characters. When the play ends, Alaina’s drab lines seem dull in comparison to the fabulous acting…so she improvises. Greenfield portrays a close and loving relationship between this Black mother and daughter—but one in which Alaina understands her boundaries and tests them but ultimately honors them. Bootman’s full-color, double-page illustrations, a bit hazily dreamlike and done with broad swaths of bold, bright colors, immerse readers in this child’s home and school life while highlighting Alaina’s excited face, mischief, and all-in personality.
A delightfully illustrated, one-of-a-kind Greenfield creation that will have readers wishing for another. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 10, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-7336865-2-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Alazar Press
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2021
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
BOOK REVIEW
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.
Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063460775
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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