bookshelf

ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE

Name: ONLY FOR A LITTLE WHILE
Author: Gabriela Orozco Belt
ISBN: 978-0063206632

by Gabriela Orozco Belt ; illustrated by Richy Sánchez Ayala ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 27, 2023

This story about temporary situations makes for a book that is likely to resonate for a long time.

bookshelf

A young Latine girl’s housing uncertainty reveals the strength of her family’s bonds.

Maribel helps pack as her family prepares to move in with Tía Carmen. Maribel’s father has lost his job, and they all hope the situation is temporary—just for a little while, “un ratito,” until they can find a permanent home. Maribel recalls other situations where family members made way for guests such as when Tía Hector stayed with them after he was flooded out of his house. Maribel muses on how sometimes “un ratito” can feel like an eternity, like when she had to stay indoors after breaking her arm last summer. Other times, like when her grandparents visit from Costa Rica, un ratito isn’t nearly enough time. Maribel’s sister, Aurelia, worries that Tía Carmen’s house will feel crowded with so many people, but Maribel reassures her that it will be like a fun sleepover. Though ultimately the experience is sometimes difficult, Maribel loves being with her family and hearing stories of her father and her aunt’s childhood in Mexico. Unitalicized Spanish words and phrases are incorporated; sometimes an English translation is included. The message is solid: Families provide and sacrifice for each other, especially when times are hard. The illustrations use warm tones and affectionate body language and friendly faces to convey the love shared by Maribel’s family. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

This story about temporary situations makes for a book that is likely to resonate for a long time. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: June 27, 2023

ISBN: 978-0063206632

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: April 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
I AM, YO SOY
by Gabriela Orozco Belt ; illustrated by Mirelle Ortega

bookshelf

ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

bookshelf

Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

bookshelf

IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GHOST

From the It's Not Easy Being series

by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.

bookshelf

A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.

Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.

Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)