A young boy learns that kindness is contagious in this picture book morality tale, aimed at children ages 2–8.
Basil doesn’t understand how or why to be kind. He fights with his sister, breaking her doll, and then slams the door to his room in a huff. When his family goes on vacation, his mother makes him give up his seat for an older woman. Basil’s frustrated, until the woman’s gratitude makes him realize that kindness matters. Soon, he decides to share his prized teddy bear with a crying baby, inspiring other passengers to be pleasant to others. When Basil loses his bear, he’s devastated—but kindness saves the day in an ending that will surprise and please youngsters. Simmons’ (We’re All Ice Cream. I’m Just a Different Flavor, 2010) simple, dialogue-heavy text relies greatly on Blueberry Illustrations’ (The Spider and the Vegetables, 2019, etc.) images to convey action; entirely textless pages show Basil’s reactions. The illustrations themselves, however, are uneven; early on, their letterbox-style layout seems designed for a differently sized page; later an airplane’s interior (featuring passengers who all share the same light brown skin tone) seems unrealistically large. However, the soft-edged, full-color art has a pleasantly friendly tone, overall, and Basil’s change of heart is truly appealing.
A hopeful message about altruism, related in accessible language and images.Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-578-46059-8
Page Count: 28
Publisher: BookBaby
Review Posted Online: Jan. 29, 2020
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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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 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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The greening of Dr. Seuss, in an ecology fable with an obvious message but a savingly silly style. In the desolate land of the Lifted Lorax, an aged creature called the Once-ler tells a young visitor how he arrived long ago in the then glorious country and began manufacturing anomalous objects called Thneeds from "the bright-colored tufts of the Truffula Trees." Despite protests from the Lorax, a native "who speaks for the trees," he continues to chop down Truffulas until he drives away the Brown Bar-ba-loots who had fed on the Tuffula fruit, the Swomee-Swans who can't sing a note for the smogulous smoke, and the Humming-Fish who had hummed in the pond now glumped up with Gluppity-Glupp. As for the Once-let, "1 went right on biggering, selling more Thneeds./ And I biggered my money, which everyone needs" — until the last Truffula falls. But one seed is left, and the Once-let hands it to his listener, with a message from the Lorax: "UNLESS someone like you/ cares a whole awful lot,/ nothing is going to get better./ It's not." The spontaneous madness of the old Dr. Seuss is absent here, but so is the boredom he often induced (in parents, anyway) with one ridiculous invention after another. And if the Once-let doesn't match the Grinch for sheer irresistible cussedness, he is stealing a lot more than Christmas and his story just might induce a generation of six-year-olds to care a whole lot.
Pub Date: Aug. 12, 1971
ISBN: 0394823370
Page Count: 72
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Oct. 19, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 1971
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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