A welcome glimpse of a culture too rarely depicted in American children’s literature.
A young girl’s compassion proves more precious than gold or rubies.
Drawing from her mother’s childhood in Burma (now Myanmar), where a vibrant Jewish community flourished for years, Kierzenblat tells a story centered on the Jewish value of treating animals with kindness. Rachel is on her way to a Purim celebration when her cousin points out a man offering elephant rides. She’s disturbed to find that underneath its elaborate costume, the animal is old and tired. Later, at the Purim festival, Rachel wins a valuable golden crown. She decides to trade her prize for the elephant, allowing it to retire. The elephant handler is so moved by her selflessness that he lets her keep the crown and the elephant. Rachel donates both to a sanctuary, demonstrating that animals are the real treasure. Though wearing costume crowns is a common way to honor Purim hero Queen Esther, readers may find it implausible that a child is inexplicably gifted a towering, bejeweled creation worth more than an elephant. Still, with richly colored illustrations and alliterative text, the story portrays a variety of Burmese Jewish foods, clothing, and traditions. Characters are depicted with medium to dark brown skin tones. An author’s note addresses both Kierzenblat’s connection to the historic Jewish community in Myanmar and the status of its elephants, accompanied by photographs.
A welcome glimpse of a culture too rarely depicted in American children’s literature. (glossary) (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2025
ISBN: 9798765619896
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kar-Ben
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property.
Since a reformed Grinch is hardly any fun, this follow-up Grinches him up once more.
Those seeking more of the same, prepare to receive precisely that. Christmas is coming (again!), and the Grinch can hardly wait. He’s been patient all year, and now he can finally show the Whos down in Who-ville how much he’s changed. When the Grinch learns of a tree-decorating contest, he figures that if he wins, it’ll prove he truly has the Christmas spirit. He throws himself into the task, but when it comes time to judge the trees, the Grinch is horrified to discover that he’s received only the second-place trophy. Can Cindy-Lou Who find the words to save the day? Replicating many of the original beats and wordplay of the original, this tale feels like less a sequel and more like a vaguely rewritten variation. Meanwhile, Ruiz’s art seeks to bridge the gap between the animated Chuck Jones version of the Grinch and the one depicted in the original book. This thankless task results in a strange uncanny valley between Seuss and Jones but does allow the artist a chance to colorize everything and lend some racial diversity to the Who population (Cindy-Lou is light-skinned). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s not whether you win or lose; it’s how many mediocre sequels you can squeeze out of Seussian property. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9780593563168
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2023
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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