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SUPER LEXI IS NOT A FAN OF CHRISTMAS

Author Lesko and illustrator Winsor (Super Lexi, 2014) bring their winning heroine back for a sequel in which she expresses her grumpy—but understandable—attitude about Christmas.
Second-grader Lexi is not a fan of “hoopla”: “It’s loud like an explosion. Also, it’s full of surprises. I have a phobia of those things.” So when she finds out that there will be a class Christmas party, complete with a mystery-present exchange, she begins plotting ways to get out of it. Lexi has an unnamed social disorder that makes her react differently to things, such as parties, that the rest of her peers enjoy. She gets very uncomfortable, for example, if she breaks rules or lies, so she studiously avoids those behaviors, and she sometimes has trouble finding the right words. She becomes convinced that, in order to avoid the party, she’ll have to get on Santa’s naughty list. She’s even willing to risk the “feeling of barf” she gets by being naughty if it gets her out of “hoopla.” In this second series installment, Lexi has a best friend, Kaylee, who helps her think about how her words and actions affect other people; for example, when her humbug attitude destroys Kaylee’s feeling of Christmas magic, Lexi immediately reins in her behavior to keep her friend happy. In return, Kaylee offers Lexi understanding, accepting her quirks without comment: “I am a fan of the way Kaylee always says ‘OK,’ ” Lexi says. “She doesn’t say stuff like ‘Everybody likes Christmas hoopla, Lexi!’ like other people.” When Lexi realizes that her naughty-list plan might ruin her friend’s holiday, she must come to terms with how her behavior affects not only herself, but her whole class. Lexi is just as delightful a narrator in this sequel as she was in the first book, and her new friendship with Kaylee is well-developed. Lexi’s parents’ understanding of her needs has also grown since the first volume, and the book exhibits their beautifully positive parent-child relationship. Although Lexi eventually finds something to like about Christmas, Lesko never undermines her struggles by offering an easy fix. Middle-grade readers, whether or not they have neurodevelopmental disorders, will root for Lexi and look forward to future adventures.

Hurrah (but no “hoopla”) for the return of Super Lexi!

Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2014

ISBN: 978-0991431014

Page Count: 102

Publisher: Red Leather Books, LLC

Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2014

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CINDERELLA

From the Once Upon a World series

A nice but not requisite purchase.

A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.

Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.

A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8

Page Count: 24

Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017

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MAYBE

More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves

A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.

“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.

More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Compendium

Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019

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