by Eva Lindström ; illustrated by Eva Lindström ; translated by Julia Marshall ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 7, 2019
An odd meditation on exclusion; best to leave this one behind.
Frank is used to being left out. This time, he creatively embraces his loneliness with the hope of luring friendship closer.
Lindström begins her story “when everyone walks away” and poor Frank “is on his own.” Tilly, Paul, and Milan have spurned Frank’s company yet again, and judging by their smug, sideways glances, the trio wants Frank’s exclusion to sting. Frank’s solitude is represented in full-page urban expanses, in which the white, dog-nosed child (or anthropomorphic dog?) is an isolated, downcast figure. Instead of lingering for an invitation, Frank surprises his discourteous peers (also animallike) by heading home and inexplicably “[crying] into a pot.” As Frank boils, sweetens, and stirs his tears, nearby recipe books hint at his goal: to beguile his bullies with a spread of jam and toast. Lindström also leaves increasing evidence that Tilly, Paul, and Milan may be less disdainful of Frank than they let on. When the fruits of Frank’s labor are revealed, the bullies are wooed and a tentative friendship seems to be struck. Adults may balk at Frank’s unsupervised cooking (specifically, when he climbs up right next to a hot stove), and the story’s overall message is murky. Should ostracized children win their tormentors over with gifts or make themselves likable by sweetening their sadness? Despite its hijinks, this Swedish import (via New Zealand) doesn’t follow through.
An odd meditation on exclusion; best to leave this one behind. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: May 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-77657-186-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Gecko Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More by Eva Lindström
BOOK REVIEW
by Eva Lindström ; illustrated by Eva Lindström ; translated by Julia Marshall
BOOK REVIEW
by Eva Lindström ; illustrated by Eva Lindström ; translated by Annie Prime
BOOK REVIEW
by Eva Lindström ; illustrated by Eva Lindström ; translated by Julia Marshall
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2020
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
Share your opinion of this book
More by Pip Jones
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Sara Ogilvie
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Laura Hughes
BOOK REVIEW
by Pip Jones ; illustrated by Ella Okstad
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More In The Series
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
More by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
BOOK REVIEW
by Tom Percival ; illustrated by Tom Percival
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.