A well-meaning story with universal appeal.
In Albright’s debut picture book, a mother explains the concept of heaven to her young daughter after their beloved dog dies.
Light-skinned Lanie and her small, black-and-white dog, Sassie, have always been good friends, playing together and sharing snacks. One day, Lanie’s light-skinned mom tells her that Sassie has died and gone to heaven. She describes the wonderful things that Sassie will find there, such as dog treats growing on trees. She also explains how dogs befriend people who arrive in heaven and help them navigate it. Now, Lanie’s mom says, Sassie is “helping other people who need to feel the joy and enthusiastic welcome that only a dog can provide.” That night, Lanie dreams of playing with Sassie, saying goodbye to the dog, and watching her head toward her new “job.” Albright has the mother express some truly poignant sentiments, such as “It is important…that we hold onto all those happy thoughts to help us remember her.” Other statements are somewhat puzzling, though, such as that Sassie “is SO special and loves us SO much that she ages faster than we do.” However, the book’s overall message may provide comfort to kids dealing with a pet’s death. Debut illustrator Hombs’ bright images feature engaging details, including textured trees and clouds. Youngsters will enjoy the depictions of various dogs.
A well-meaning story with universal appeal.Pub Date: Jan. 29, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-578-45681-2
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Albright Creative, LLC
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Desperation confused for hysterics.
Harris’ latest makes an urgent plea for somber reflection.
“Stop! Stop!! Stop!!!” Right from the get-go, readers are presented with three rules for reading this book (“Don’t look at this book!” “Do look at your listener!” “Get your listener to look at you!”). But the true lesson is in the title itself: If anyone listening to this book laughs, you have to start it all over. Challenge accepted? Good. Sheer frenetic energy propels what passes for a narrative as the book uses every trick up its sleeve to give kids the giggles. Silly names, ridiculous premises, and kooky art combine, all attempting some level of hilarity. Bloch’s art provides a visual cacophony of collaged elements, all jostling for the audience’s attention. Heavily influenced by similar fourth wall–busting titles like The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales (1992) by Jon Scieszka, illustrated by Lane Smith, and the more contemporary The Book With No Pictures (2014) by B.J. Novak, these attempts to win over readers and make them laugh will result in less giggles than one might imagine. In the end, the ultimate success of this book may rest less on the art or text and more on the strength of the reader’s presentation. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Desperation confused for hysterics. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-42488-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: June 7, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A cozy, down-home tale of Christmas in New England.
A picture-book adaptation of Fullam’s popular song about the virtues of sharing and community togetherness.
An unnamed narrator says that long ago, when “roads were made of crushed rock and earth,” Christmas gifts were handmade and spiritually centered, and neighbors cared for one another. Although times have changed, there remains “a small corner of the earth where old values have not been lost,” the narrator explains—in Maine, where neighbors visit and bring gifts of food or offer to take kids for sleigh rides. Fullam shares traditions that focus on the power of giving in a picture book that’s half straightforward prose and half rhyming lyrics from the author’s song, included as sheet music at the end. Despite this shift from prose to poetry, the book flows well, and a feeling of Christmas spirit shines through in both formats. Baker’s painted illustrations showcase a diverse small-town community with residents of different ages, abilities, and skin tones. The realistic flora and fauna on many pages give the setting a tangible feel so that the warmth of a fireplace or cuddling cats seems to radiate from the pages. The idyllic nature of the images and poetry sheds a rosy glow on the holiday season, which many readers will appreciate.
A cozy, down-home tale of Christmas in New England.Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-954277-00-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: McSea Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 21, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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