by Halcyon Person & Chris Bridges ; illustrated by Parker-Nia Gordon ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 7, 2022
Cheerful and charming.
A father and daughter find that the best way to write a song is together.
Karma already knows she’s bound to be a musical superstar, but she’ll acknowledge that there is maybe someone out there who can share her spotlight—her daddy. A musician and producer, Karma’s dad can make music out of everything they do together, from riding bikes to playing pretend. But for Daddy’s birthday, Karma wants to write a song on her own to give him as a gift. The only problem is, they’re used to riffing off each other, and Karma’s not accustomed to rhyming on her own. “He makes me feel safe from when I sleep to when I wake” is a nice enough sentiment, until she finds herself left with “and at night he tucks me in under a giant pancake!” What’s a co-writer to do without her other half? Based on characters from the Netflix series Karma’s World, this original story from Person (head writer of the show) and Bridges (better known as rapper Ludacris) delightfully captures the frustration and occasional absurdity that can come out of brainstorming sessions. Though the beginning and end of the story are a little on the saccharine side, Act 2 is where the magic is. Gordon’s colorful, cartoon-style illustrations are accentuated by big, bold, onomatopoeic words describing instrumentation and beatboxing. Karma and her family are Black. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Cheerful and charming. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 7, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-79633-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
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PERSPECTIVES
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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BOOK REVIEW
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
by Phil Rosenthal & Lily Rosenthal ; illustrated by Luke Flowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 6, 2024
Amusing but misleading on the nutritional and behavioral fronts.
With one taste of despised mustard, a child pivots from rejecting new foods to seeking them.
Dad takes Lil to a food truck festival. Lil, who narrates the story, is nervous; this child’s list of acceptable foods is short (pizza, rice, grilled cheese, french fries, and vanilla ice cream). Dad loves varied tastes and repeatedly reminds Lil of his rule: “Just try it!” With a “YECCCH!” or an “EWWWWWW!” Lil refuses a bagel loaded with toppings, linguini with clams, Peking duck, pizza with spinach and garlic, and a pretzel covered with Lil’s most hated of foods: mustard. Frustrated, Lil accidentally knocks the pretzel onto Dad’s shirt. Lil apologizes, takes a lick of mustard…and instantly learns to appreciate every rejected offering. Lil then uses the title mantra to pressure Dad onto a nausea-inducing roller-coaster ride. Bright, cartoon-style illustrations emphasize the pair's upbeat mood. Food neophobia, or an aversion to eating anything novel, has complex psychosocial roots. But in this blithe little fable, the child’s resistance is completely overcome with a single accidental exposure, and the formerly picky eater immediately becomes a novelty seeker. The turnaround here is implausible; if this book creates any expectations of a sudden dramatic change in a child’s behavior, that would be a disservice. Both Dad and Lil are light-skinned.
Amusing but misleading on the nutritional and behavioral fronts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9781665942638
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
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