by Hallee Adelman ; illustrated by Josep Maria Juli ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 7, 2023
An encouraging tale that makes clear that nearly everyone needs—and needs to ask for—help.
How do you ask for help when everyone is looking?
Juan finds math tricky but is too embarrassed to ask for help with a tough worksheet. Then Juan is summoned to the board to solve a problem. Anxious and upset, Juan disrupts the lesson and scoots out into the hall, only to realize that someone else is having trouble, too. When Juan returns and tells the class, “I might need some help. This is hard for me,” the teacher and other students share their own difficulties, leading Juan to realize that everyone struggles and that it’s OK to ask for assistance. The solution to this well-intended story is somewhat oversimplified and doesn’t necessarily recognize the complexity of academic difficulties; while many students do need to ask for help, the book puts that responsibility solely on Juan’s young shoulders rather than on the teacher, who would ideally provide more support. Still, Juan is an engaging and sympathetic character whose insights will inspire those in a similar situation; others will gain understanding and empathy for those who need it. The appealing artwork relies on simple, flat colors. The class is diverse; Juan has skin the white of the page. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An encouraging tale that makes clear that nearly everyone needs—and needs to ask for—help. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780807580981
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
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by Hallee Adelman ; illustrated by Karen Wall
by Hallee Adelman ; illustrated by Josep Maria Juli
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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...
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
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by Marilyn Sadler ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 13, 2024
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
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)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
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