A clumsy but sweet springboard to discussions about spreading rumors.
A companion to The Whatifs (2020), this time exploring gossip.
Mason is a meddlesome lad, which makes him especially attractive to the buzzy swarms of “Iheards”—insectlike creatures with long proboscises, perfect for fitting in ears and whispering secrets. The Iheards surround Mason, telling him rumors of other classmates. “I heard Ameera is scared / of thunderstorms.” “I heard Valeria broke / Maya’s crayon on purpose!” All of these secrets build up inside of Mason until he can’t take it anymore. They burst forth, whether true or not, and he tells everyone. A special History Day project is assigned, and no one wants to be Mason’s partner. On the day of the presentation, Mason is distraught; the Iheards prey on his weakness, crowding and zipping around, creating literal clouds of insecurities. Luckily, classmate Natalie offers a different perspective—what if the Iheards can be good? A shift appears in both Mason and the art: He beams, and the room brightens. This tale follows the same emotional pathway as Kilgore and Perisco’s previous work but not quite as seamlessly. Framing the Iheards as positive is a bit more clunky and difficult; still, given how relevant the topic is, this one may be a jumping-off point to conversations about gossip. An author’s note further explains that we all deserve to share our own stories and that repeating rumors can be painful. Mason is light-skinned, Natalie is brown-skinned, and their classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A clumsy but sweet springboard to discussions about spreading rumors. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4998-1268-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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