Timmie and his parents make their first visit to Gram at a nursing home; she's had to move there since "the doctors said she needed full-time nursing care." Until now, Gram has lived with Timmie's family, and it's so hard for Mom to see her here that she talks in an unnaturally bright voice, only to weep once she's outside. Rushing back to deliver a picture he forgot to leave and discovering Gram in tears too, Timmie pulls Mom back inside, where the honesty of shared grief provides at least some comfort. Bunting catches the nursing home ambience with empathy and precision—the sharp smell "like mouthwash, or the green bar that Mom hangs in the toilet bowl"; the elderly dozing in wheelchairs, intruding on one another's visitors, or joshing; their families filling time with small talk. In perceptive, realistic watercolors, de Groat characterizes Timmie's family with loving care and depicts the residents of the home in enough realistic variety to give young readers a good idea of what to expect on such a visit. A poignant slice of life in the 90's; Timmie's successful intervention sends the message that even a child can offer real consolation. (Picture book. 4-8)
Pub Date: March 21, 1994
ISBN: 0-395-63309-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1994
A multilayered, endearing treasure of a day.
Spending a day with Gong Gong doesn’t sound like very much fun to May.
Gong Gong doesn’t speak English, and May doesn’t know Chinese. How can they have a good day together? As they stroll through an urban Chinatown, May’s perpetually sanguine maternal grandfather chats with friends and visits shops. At each stop, Cantonese words fly back and forth, many clearly pointed at May, who understands none of it. It’s equally exasperating trying to communicate with Gong Gong in English, and by the time they join a card game in the park with Gong Gong’s friends, May is tired, hungry, and frustrated. But although it seems like Gong Gong hasn’t been attentive so far, when May’s day finally comes to a head, it is clear that he has. First-person text gives glimpses into May’s lively thoughts as they evolve through the day, and Gong Gong’s unchangingly jolly face reflects what could be mistaken for blithe obliviousness but is actually his way of showing love through sharing the people and places of his life. Through adorable illustrations that exude humor and warmth, this portrait of intergenerational affection is also a tribute to life in Chinatown neighborhoods: Street vendors, a busker playing a Chinese violin, a dim sum restaurant, and more all combine to add a distinctive texture.
A multilayered, endearing treasure of a day. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77321-429-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
Gleefully fun.
Is little Jesús prepared for the awesome responsibility of managing Papá’s magical water-jug clock?
Hooray, it’s Saturday! Jesús can help his gardener father with the family business. Jesús is tasked with taking care of the water jug, which, according to Papá, is “also a magical clock. It tells us how much work is left to do!” Jesús gets ready as Mamá reminds them “to drink lots of agua.” Piling into their trusty van with its supplies and intoxicating smell of gasoline, oil, and “yesterday’s cut grass,” Jesús and Papá head out. First stop: the Saldañas’ house, where Jesús gives water to some thirsty old cats, Papá, and himself (and splashes some water on his face) while Papá tends to the lawn. At Juan-Diego’s super big house with its tiny dog, Jesús hands out lots of water to everyone (plus two face splashes) to ward off the heat. By Stop Número Tres, the magical water-jug clock is out of water. Time to go home? But there are still 11 more houses to go. Oh no! Where did Jesús go wrong? A marvelous portrait of a working-class Latine family, Trejo’s picture-book debut, inspired by his own childhood experiences, brims with humorous, childlike observations. Anchored by its pint-sized mischief-maker, this tale of a loving father-son relationship radiates pure warmth. Kinkz’s scrappy watercolor-blended artwork bursts with bright colors and amusing details, matching its tiny hero’s chaotic spirit. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gleefully fun. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 6, 2023
ISBN: 9781662651045
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Minerva
Review Posted Online: April 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2023
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