Illustrations elevate this tale of hope and empowerment.
A young girl finds a way to make her star shine.
A black-haired, brown-skinned child simply referred to as “the girl” walks in a rainy village accompanied by a gray tabby cat. She finds herself enveloped in a “world” that has “been dark for a long time. Rainy. Lonely. Dark.” One day she makes an “enormous wish. She wished the lonely dark away.” The next day she finds a star by the village’s fountain. “It was beautiful and warm and perfect.” Soon after attempting to hold it in her coat the girl realizes that it refuses to be hidden, but even in the open it is quickly losing its shine. The girl makes several futile attempts to revive it, but her numerous calls for help to the community are left unanswered. It is when she finds other children in need and decides to help and share the star that its light begins to shine brighter. A few idiosyncratic word choices (“shrinkier,” “glowy”) occasionally disrupt the flow of the narrative. However, Pray’s textured line drawings are alluringly filled with pastel colors. Initially the pages are saturated in dark blues and grays, but as the girl’s acts of kindness expand to others in her diverse community, the colors transform to a brighter tone. Pray lets readers know of their inherent power to bring about positive change, no matter their size.
Illustrations elevate this tale of hope and empowerment. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 9, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-9270-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2020
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground.
A little red sleigh has big Christmas dreams.
Although the detailed, full-color art doesn’t anthropomorphize the protagonist (which readers will likely identify as a sled and not a sleigh), a close third-person text affords the object thoughts and feelings while assigning feminine pronouns. “She longed to become Santa’s big red sleigh,” reads an early line establishing the sleigh’s motivation to leave her Christmas-shop home for the North Pole. Other toys discourage her, but she perseveres despite creeping self-doubt. A train and truck help the sleigh along, and when she wishes she were big, fast, and powerful like them, they offer encouragement and counsel patience. When a storm descends after the sleigh strikes out on her own, an unnamed girl playing in the snow brings her to a group of children who all take turns riding the sleigh down a hill. When the girl brings her home, the sleigh is crestfallen she didn’t reach the North Pole. A convoluted happily-ever-after ending shows a note from Santa that thanks the sleigh for giving children joy and invites her to the North Pole next year. “At last she understood what she was meant to do. She would build her life up spreading joy, one child at a time.” Will she leave the girl’s house to be gifted to other children? Will she stay and somehow also reach ever more children? Readers will be left wondering. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 31.8% of actual size.)
Sadly, the storytelling runs aground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-72822-355-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2020
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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