This well-intentioned story about pregnancy loss is far from perfect but fills a gap.
A young swallow comforts his mother after the loss of her egg.
Used to his mother soothing him when he’s sad, Gabriel is heartbroken to discover Mommy Swallow crying. When she tells him how her nest collapsed and her egg was lost, Gabriel is sad he won’t be a big brother. To comfort his mother, Gabriel reminds her of the world’s beauty as the two swallows fly, dive, and survey the forest on a summer day. As Mommy Swallow embraces him, Gabriel glows with pride to see his mother’s “eyes smiling” once more. Originally published in Canada and translated from French, this quiet story is distinctive for specifically addressing pregnancy loss. The brief, gentle text, descriptive yet with room for discussion, pairs pleasantly with painterly, tranquil nature landscapes. Although the birds are charming, their strictly realistic rendering precludes visual character development through body and facial expressions. There is also an unfortunate emotional distance created by the loss of the egg outside the bird’s body, instead of inside, as with humans. Finally, making Gabriel the key to his mother’s happiness is a sweet idea, but it both places inappropriate responsibility on the child and disempowers Mommy Swallow; it may also alienate those caregivers reading aloud who have not experienced a successful pregnancy. In reality, although there are important external supports, for many adults experiencing pregnancy loss, resilience and strength must ultimately come from within.
This well-intentioned story about pregnancy loss is far from perfect but fills a gap. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Oct. 22, 2019
ISBN: 978-2-89802-082-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: CrackBoom! Books
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among
Pete, the cat who couldn’t care less, celebrates Christmas with his inimitable lassitude.
If it weren’t part of the title and repeated on every other page, readers unfamiliar with Pete’s shtick might have a hard time arriving at “groovy” to describe his Christmas celebration, as the expressionless cat displays not a hint of groove in Dean’s now-trademark illustrations. Nor does Pete have a great sense of scansion: “On the first day of Christmas, / Pete gave to me… / A road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” The cat is shown at the wheel of a yellow microbus strung with garland and lights and with a star-topped tree tied to its roof. On the second day of Christmas Pete gives “me” (here depicted as a gray squirrel who gets on the bus) “2 fuzzy gloves, and a road trip to the sea. / GROOVY!” On the third day, he gives “me” (now a white cat who joins Pete and the squirrel) “3 yummy cupcakes,” etc. The “me” mentioned in the lyrics changes from day to day and gift to gift, with “4 far-out surfboards” (a frog), “5 onion rings” (crocodile), and “6 skateboards rolling” (a yellow bird that shares its skateboards with the white cat, the squirrel, the frog, and the crocodile while Pete drives on). Gifts and animals pile on until the microbus finally arrives at the seaside and readers are told yet again that it’s all “GROOVY!”
Pete’s fans might find it groovy; anyone else has plenty of other “12 Days of Christmas” variants to choose among . (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 18, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-06-267527-9
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 19, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones.
Not even the arrival of autumn can cool down this impetuous squirrel.
Although Squirrel is skeptical about Bird’s vegetable patch (“Nothing is HAPPENING!”), Bird does produce five (count them) lovely pumpkins. Squirrel picks out a favorite: “The enormous orange one.” Bird hints that Squirrel might want to help out; Squirrel sets out to fetch some work gloves and returns to find only four pumpkins. The frequently distracted Squirrel notices more gourds disappearing and leaps to the conclusion that a thief is near. And where’s Bird?! Has Squirrel’s pal also been taken? Diligently detecting, Squirrel finds clues—peck marks, footprints, and more—and produces a sketch of the suspect. As readers will guess, each clue turns out to point to one of Squirrel and Bird’s friends. Turns out Bird was delivering pumpkins to their pals while saving the big one to give to “my very best friend,” Squirrel. But why does Squirrel haul it up a tree? “So the Pumpkin Thief can’t find it, of course!” A page of pumpkin facts provides the learning component common to all titles in this series. Once more, readers will enjoy the pleasure of prediction and repetition, Squirrel’s silly persistence, Bird’s generosity, and the vibrant color illustrations, balancing orange with green.
More fun antics to satisfy returning fans and snag new ones. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781464268076
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: yesterday
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2026
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