Preschool and school-age kids will enjoy this dash through history; here’s hoping they won’t reject the “baby book” format.
Two to three letters of the alphabet and a corresponding figure, event, or concept are presented on each double-page spread using the headings typical for ABC books: “A is for amendment” or “D is for Declaration of Sentiments,” for instance. These are accompanied by a couple of sentences of explanation and an illustration against a red-and-white or purple-and-white background. Relatively well-known historical figures appear, such as Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Lucretia Mott, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, but surprisingly, there is no mention of Elizabeth Cady Stanton. The inclusion of unsung suffragists is a welcome sight, including Zitkála-Šá, a Yankton Dakota Sioux advocate for Native American suffrage, Nina Allender, a White political cartoonist, and Hattie Redmond, a Black organizer for suffrage in Oregon. Using a Disney-esque style and deep, bold colors, the art is accessible and fresh. A few modern children are included to illustrate concepts such as “Equal,” which depicts a diverse quartet of children, one of them using a wheelchair. Much of the information is painfully brief and, at times, undercuts some of the subjects; Alice Paul is here noted for sewing a flag with a star for each state that approved the 19th Amendment, but she did significantly more than act as a suffragist Betsy Ross. The board format is an odd choice for the content since much of this will go over the heads of babies and toddlers who may not even know what voting is.
Preschool and school-age kids will enjoy this dash through history; here’s hoping they won’t reject the “baby book” format. (Board book. 3-6)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5037-5461-4
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Sunbird Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 31, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2020
Buy this book when, as the Spanish say, “frogs grow hair!” (Informational picture book. 4-6)
Kids from different countries introduce idioms.
On the title-page spread, a child with dark brown skin and black curly hair says: “Do you see the dragon?” Another kid, with pinkish skin and straight orange hair, says: “Dragon? What dragon? I’ll believe you…” and the turn reveals a double-page spread with enormous, flying pink porcine creatures and the words “…when pigs fly!” A bucolic, woodland scene is the backdrop, and lettering on a tree indicates “United Kingdom.” The pattern continues as other, diverse children join the first, black child in the same wooded scene, newly named animals and trees with different labels offering a variety. The humorous expressions of disbelief include “…when crows fly upside down!” from the Malayali people of India; “…when the lobster whistles on top of the mountain!” from Russia; and “when chickens have teeth!” from the Yoruba people of Nigeria. The cartoons are stylized but mostly recognizable and usually humorous. The author’s note informs readers that idioms’ “meanings come from the speaking patterns of the time or culture that coined them” but provides no specific information about the 11 selected; only four are from non-European languages. Endpaper maps help orient readers geographically, and on the rear, the sayings are printed in the original languages, all in roman letters even when the original language uses a different alphabet or script.
Buy this book when, as the Spanish say, “frogs grow hair!” (Informational picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-911373-49-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lantana
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2020
A straightforward and lively introduction to the democratic process for readers older than babies.
Baby learns about the elections in this latest entry to the Baby Loves… series.
A toddler with light-brown skin works with her white mommy to color signs and put stamps on postcards to get out the vote, and she cheers Mommy on when she “puts the ballot into the machine.” Along the way, Baby explores key aspects of the political process with her white mom and another, brown-skinned caregiver, such as campaigning, candidates, and the different types of political leaders. It is a simplified and rosy picture of American democracy, asserting confidently that the “candidate with the most votes wins,” and political opponents “can still be friends” after an election. The art is a toddler-centric, idealized world in a bold, bright cartoon style featuring political candidates from a wide range of backgrounds. There is a female-presenting president, a black, male-presenting vice president, a brown-skinned, hijabi senator, and a white, male-presenting representative who uses a wheelchair. While the explanations, imagery, and suggested activities are spot-on for older preschoolers, the format and the “baby” label make the content developmentally inappropriate for the target audience of babies and toddlers. Little ones still learning to label things in their homes and their neighborhoods will be hard-pressed to understand the basics of civic engagement.
A straightforward and lively introduction to the democratic process for readers older than babies. (Board book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-62354-227-6
Page Count: 20
Publisher: Charlesbridge
Review Posted Online: March 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
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