A delectable celebration of a bicultural identity.
When extended family gathers, a biracial child must figure out a menu that will satisfy everyone’s taste buds.
Hana is excited to learn that Grandpa and Grandma Williams, who are Black and live in South Carolina, and Harabeoji and Halmoni, who are from South Korea, will soon visit. Hana, who’s always wished both sets of grandparents could be closer, wants to plan a special dinner. What should they serve? Daddy suggests pizza or tacos. Mommy proposes something French. Each possibility is dismissed by Hana as “not special enough” or “too hard.” After Daddy encourages Hana not to give up, the child ponders. Hana remembers making a yummy pot of gumbo with Grandpa and Grandma Williams and cooking “sweet, sour, and spicy” kimchi-jigae with Harabeoji and Halmoni. Inspired, Hana starts cooking and even begins to dance as the pot bubbles and simmers with the various flavors mixing. All the grandparents arrive to a table set with condiments from both cuisines. Is it Korean food? Is it soul food? Hana proclaims, “It’s Seoul food!” As everyone raves about the kimchi gumbo and the grandparents make plans to visit one another, Hana reveals that love is the “ingredient that brings us all together.” Charming cartoon illustrations are layered with a warm palette and textured lines, while the delightfully child-centered story is sure to resonate with young readers.
A delectable celebration of a bicultural identity. (glossary, recipe for kimchi gumbo) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780593464380
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy.
Robo-parents Diode and Lugnut present daughter Cathode with a new little brother—who requires, unfortunately, some assembly.
Arriving in pieces from some mechanistic version of Ikea, little Flange turns out to be a cute but complicated tyke who immediately falls apart…and then rockets uncontrollably about the room after an overconfident uncle tinkers with his basic design. As a squad of helpline techies and bevies of neighbors bearing sludge cake and like treats roll in, the cluttered and increasingly crowded scene deteriorates into madcap chaos—until at last Cath, with help from Roomba-like robodog Sprocket, stages an intervention by whisking the hapless new arrival off to a backyard workshop for a proper assembly and software update. “You’re such a good big sister!” warbles her frazzled mom. Wiesner’s robots display his characteristic clean lines and even hues but endearingly look like vaguely anthropomorphic piles of random jet-engine parts and old vacuum cleaners loosely connected by joints of armored cable. They roll hither and thither through neatly squared-off panels and pages in infectiously comical dismay. Even the end’s domestic tranquility lasts only until Cathode spots the little box buried in the bigger one’s packing material: “TWINS!” (This book was reviewed digitally with 9-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 52% of actual size.)
A retro-futuristic romp, literally and figuratively screwy. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-544-98731-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further.
A young Latine boy finally gets to rescue the dog of his dreams, but training can be a challenge in two languages.
Like many children, José has been dreaming of having a pet of his own, specifically un perro, a dog. Like any good owner, José promptly begins training his new canine companion but soon realizes his rescue mutt, Feliz, knows only words in English. This is a problem because in José’s home everyone speaks both Spanish and English. José and Feliz must rise to the challenge; fortunately, treats and snuggles are great motivators. The narrative uses Spanish words and phrases throughout (“perros blancos,” “¡Yo quiero este!” “¡Sientate!”), usually with English context clues for understanding. This is complex vocabulary for an early reader, and the shifting in phonics from English to Spanish will be challenging for true beginners; the book is best suited for intermediate to advanced readers in dual-language classrooms or homes. Much like Feliz, however, it is sure to find a loving (and bilingual) home. Cheerful illustrations complement the text, helping readers make sense of the narrative. While José and his mother are darker-skinned, his father and sister are lighter-skinned. (This review has been updated for accuracy.)
Cuándo quieras un perro feliz, look no further. (glossary of Spanish-English words) (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: April 25, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-52116-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
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