A lovely gift for burgeoning football fans.
The story of the Kelce brothers, told for the very youngest of readers.
With simple phrasing and sweeping platitudes, this brief picture book takes a broad look at the brotherly bond of athletes Jason and Travis Kelce, starting when the two are children. The words “when one of you falls, the other picks you right back up” stretch across a scene of a family cookout, with the boys running and tripping as they play. The brothers grow, as does their passion for football: “On the field you are on fire. / Snapping, blocking, catching the ball in the end zone.” In a callback to childhood, Berne emphasizes the Kelces’ supportive bond: “Even when the falls get bigger / you never stop picking each other up.” Catrinella takes inspiration from photos snapped of the famous pair, re-creating them in bright colors, illuminated with warmth and familial love. True fans can chart the passage of time as the jerseys’ colors and numbers change (yes, Travis’ girlfriend, pop star Taylor Swift, does make an appearance). An endnote supplies more details about their intertwined football journeys and lives, though readers seeking in-depth information for school reports will want to supplement this one with additional materials. But followers of the game will appreciate seeing their heroes as young people—and as devoted brothers.
A lovely gift for burgeoning football fans. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Oct. 14, 2025
ISBN: 9781250390721
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Odd Dot
Review Posted Online: Aug. 2, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Genial starter nonfiction.
Panels activated by sliding tabs introduce youngsters to the human body.
The information is presented in matter-of-fact narration and captioned, graphically simple art featuring rounded lines, oversized heads and eyes, and muted colors. The sliding panels reveal new scenes on both sides of the page, and arrows on the large tabs indicate the direction to pull them (some tabs work left and right and others up and down). Some of the tabs show only slight changes (a white child reaches for a teddy bear, demonstrating how arms and hands work), while others are much more surprising (a different white child runs to a door and on the other side of the panel is shown sitting on the toilet). The double-page spreads employ broad themes as organizers, such as “Your Body,” “Eating Right,” and “Taking Care of Your Body.” Much of the content is focused on the outside of the body, but one panel does slide to reveal an X-ray image of a skeleton. While there are a few dark brown and amber skin tones, it is mostly white children who appear in the pages to demonstrate body movements, self-care, visiting the doctor, senses, and feelings. The companion volume, Baby Animals, employs the same style of sliding panels to introduce youngsters to little critters and their parents, from baboons to penguins.
Genial starter nonfiction. (Board book. 2-5)Pub Date: March 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-2-40800-850-5
Page Count: 12
Publisher: Twirl/Chronicle
Review Posted Online: Jan. 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A passable introduction for little linebackers and half-pint halfbacks, but it will probably please football-enthusiast...
Football basics for the littlest fans.
Each football-shaped page presents American football–related photos and one to two sentences of descriptive text. Many of the images are heavily labeled and captioned with football terminology, such as “end zone,” “helmet,” “cleats,” and “penalty flag.” One of the few double-page spreads presents a bird’s-eye view of the football field and labels such elements as “pylons,” “50-yard line,” and “1-yard hash marks.” It’s anyone’s guess what toddlers will make of the play diagram crowded with X’s, O’s, and arrows. In the photos, almost all the players, who have skin tones that range from white to black, look to be male. Just enough of the basic moves and plays of football are presented for youngsters, such as passing, catching, and kicking. As the book is football-shaped with faux leather cover and imitation laces, little ones may try to throw or kick the book itself. The project ends by encouraging would-be players to have fun and go play.
A passable introduction for little linebackers and half-pint halfbacks, but it will probably please football-enthusiast caregivers more than it will their children. (Board book. 2-3)Pub Date: Aug. 29, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0400-7
Page Count: 16
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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