A comforting, accessible introduction to a not often discussed subject.
A woman and her young child try to make the best of things when they enter a homeless shelter.
The young narrator is understandably wary. Mama, attempting to allay her child’s anxiety and demonstrating a coping strategy, pretends it’s a royal abode. Inside, an administrator guides them to their bedroom; Mama offers up more playful scenarios to find fun amid new surroundings. Later, the two join other mothers and children of various ages and with different skin and hair colors in the communal dining room; one smiling girl wears the hijab and another, glasses. (The protagonist and Mama present white.) By shower time, the narrator feels acclimated enough to be the one to invite Mama to join an imaginative game, though this scene feels rushed. This gently told tale aims to reassure. It evokes a sense of immediacy, though the decision not to name the narrator may distance readers. There’s no explanation for why there are no adult men here, nor does anyone mention the absence of fathers. The flat, bright pencil-and-acrylic naïve-style illustrations succeed, with charming make-believe sequences and wide-eyed characters exuding hope. Except for a tearful woman shown on one page, readers could infer that residents feel welcomed and safe. Youngsters believing shelters are cheerless and impersonal may be comforted by the clean, colorful, and cozy facility. The backmatter offers lucid information about homelessness and shelters.
A comforting, accessible introduction to a not often discussed subject. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 20, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78285-824-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Barefoot Books
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A colorful conversation starter about what heroism can mean.
In this picture book from former congressman and U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard officer Kinzinger, a father shows his child that heroes are found everywhere.
Christian is excited to learn that his class will be presenting about heroes in their lives. He knows exactly who he’s going to talk about: his father, an Air Force pilot. When Christian’s friend Ella declares that she will present on their teacher, Ms. Betty Jo, Christian is confused. Heroes protect people, like his father does, but Ms. Betty Jo “didn’t protect anyone.” When Christian tells his father that no one else in his class knows a real hero, Dad takes the boy on a trip in his single-engine plane. Christian observes different workers as his father explains their heroism in verse. The text switches back to prose as they land at a military cemetery, where Dad places a flag at the tombstone of a friend. Vibrant, episodic illustrations give the story momentum, while the detailed vignettes provide a good opportunity for young readers to discuss what’s happening in situations that call for doctors, police, 911 dispatch, the National Guard, and lifeguards, among others. Brief backmatter presents facts about some of the institutions and people who inspired the illustrations. Christian and Dad are pale-skinned; other characters are diverse.
A colorful conversation starter about what heroism can mean. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 5, 2026
ISBN: 9781400252725
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Tommy Nelson
Review Posted Online: March 23, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2026
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