A strong, rhyming narrative about believing in yourself, with attractive but flawed illustrations.
A peacock gains confidence when a friend believes in him in this debut picture book by a mother-daughter team.
Sai the peacock has a unique voice and a huge beak, both of which are unappreciated by his cohorts. He harbors dreams of performing. But after being made fun of, “Sai decided he’d stay silent and forget about it.” Then he sings to himself at a stream, and Cricket notices and encourages him. With the insect’s help, Sai is soon performing in sold-out shows with cricket audiences, to the amazement of the peacocks, including Sai’s mother. The birds now understand what they’ve missed all along. The ending, in which Sai and Cricket set off on a world tour, signals that a sequel is planned. Estani Frizzell’s poetry is smooth throughout, with solid rhymes and a bouncing rhythm that supports the musical theme. The “Beakonfident” theme of Sai’s tour is a clever pun that independent readers will enjoy. The vibrant watercolor cartoon style of illustrator Sophia Frizzell—the author’s daughter—uses dark shades in her outlines to define the shapes. The simple designs of the peacocks invite young readers to try cartooning. Unfortunately, one of the tale’s few human characters is a light brown–skinned, stereotypical fortuneteller with a headscarf. The presence of humans feels unnecessary in the story. Sai’s large beak also frequently changes size and shape, making his portrayal feel inconsistent throughout.
A strong, rhyming narrative about believing in yourself, with attractive but flawed illustrations.Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-62634-946-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Greenleaf Book Group Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
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A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies.
Pigeon finds something better to drive than some old bus.
This time it’s Santa delivering the fateful titular words, and with a “Ho. Ho. Whoa!” the badgering begins: “C’mon! Where’s your holiday spirit? It would be a Christmas MIRACLE! Don’t you want to be part of a Christmas miracle…?” Pigeon is determined: “I can do Santa stuff!” Like wrapping gifts (though the accompanying illustration shows a rather untidy present), delivering them (the image of Pigeon attempting to get an oversize sack down a chimney will have little ones giggling), and eating plenty of cookies. Alas, as Willems’ legion of young fans will gleefully predict, not even Pigeon’s by-now well-honed persuasive powers (“I CAN BE JOLLY!”) will budge the sleigh’s large and stinky reindeer guardian. “BAH. Also humbug.” In the typically minimalist art, the frustrated feathered one sports a floppily expressive green and red elf hat for this seasonal addition to the series—but then discards it at the end for, uh oh, a pair of bunny ears. What could Pigeon have in mind now? “Egg delivery, anyone?”
A stocking stuffer par excellence, just right for dishing up with milk and cookies. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781454952770
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Review Posted Online: Sept. 12, 2023
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