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ROBERT'S RED SWEATER

Name: ROBERT'S RED SWEATER
Author: Heidi Nightengale
ISBN: 978-1-947653-47-4

by Heidi Nightengale , illustrated by Erin Bonsteel ‧ RELEASE DATE: N/A

Young animal lovers will be drawn to this quiet tale of connection between a boy and a baby bird.

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A boy learns that his beloved, outgrown sweater can have a greater purpose in this gentle story of caring for a baby bird by Nightengale (What Fragrance Is the Moon?, 2014) and illustrated by Bonsteel (Charlie’s Escape from Home, 2017).

Even though Robert is too big for his soft red sweater, he loves it. On his sixth birthday, he jumps out of bed to count bird nests: six, just like him. Robert also discovers a fallen baby bird, so he uses his red sweater to carry it home. Robert helps the bird grow, letting it use his sweater for a nest. When the bird learns to fly, Robert takes the bird and the sweater nest outside to set it free; the next morning, the bird has returned to its family, and all six nests have soft red yarn woven into them. Bonsteel’s mostly black-and-white cartoon illustrations feature touches of red, highlighting the sweater, the robin’s red breast, and occasionally color in Robert’s cheeks, giving the images flare through that emphasis and through her detailed grayscale shading. Nightengale’s accessible vocabulary and simple sentence structure make the prose approachable for newly independent readers, who will empathize with Robert losing his beloved sweater—and be comforted by its greater purpose. One quibble: There’s a missed opportunity to inform kids that it’s often best to leave baby birds alone.

Young animal lovers will be drawn to this quiet tale of connection between a boy and a baby bird.

Pub Date: N/A

ISBN: 978-1-947653-47-4

Page Count: -

Publisher: Clare Songbirds Publishing House

Review Posted Online: Aug. 9, 2019

Review Program: Kirkus Indie

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

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BEDTIME FOR BATMAN

From the DC Super Heroes series , Vol. 1

by Michael Dahl ; illustrated by Ethen Beavers ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2016

This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom.

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Holy bedtime, Batman!

In a sleepy-looking neighborhood under a dusky cerulean sky, a young, brown-haired, white boy goes through the motions of getting ready for bed: he brushes his teeth, takes a bath, picks up his toys, and feeds his fish. In a parallel visual narrative, beckoned by the cat's-eye–yellow bat-signal, Batman keeps Gotham safe for another night by catching crooks, locking them away, and avenging those who have been wronged. Though the two characters are quite different, through a carefully flexible narrative, Dahl and Beavers weave a convincing tale of just how similar they might be. “It’s time to take care of business” describes the child’s trip to the potty and Batman’s dive down a manhole equally well, for instance. Beavers' art is visually striking and vibrantly hued, perfect for keeping young eyes glued to each page. Dahl's economical text is cadenced with a gentle lilt, just right for a bedtime read-aloud. Young fans of the caped crusader will delight in spying their favorite characters. In the already-overstuffed bedtime-book market, this is certainly a niche read, but it hits its mark well, delivering fun without darkness. A “bedtime checklist” at the end aptly includes “story time.”

This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom. (Picture book. 3-8)

Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-62370-732-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S

- BOOK REVIEW
NOUNS SAY "WHAT'S THAT?"
by Michael Dahl ; illustrated by Lauren Lowen

- BOOK REVIEW
PERIODS SAY "STOP."
by Michael Dahl ; illustrated by Chris Garbutt

- BOOK REVIEW
GOOD MORNING, SUPERMAN!
by Michael Dahl ; illustrated by Omar Lozano

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CINDERELLA

From the Once Upon a World series

by Chloe Perkins ; illustrated by Sandra Equihua ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2016

A nice but not requisite purchase.

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A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.

Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.

A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)