by Holly M. McGhee ; illustrated by Pascal Lemaître ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019
Just listening has its limits, but this is a start.
How to develop and nurture empathy in ourselves and others?
It just takes listening with open hearts, open eyes and ears, and open minds. In fact, it will help to use all our senses. There’s a big, beautiful world for us to engage with, and it belongs to everyone, so readers are exhorted to dig in—sometimes literally. The writing is gentle, lyrical, and comforting, meant to help readers think dreamy, lofty thoughts. However, the language is occasionally vague, some concepts perhaps too abstract to strike a resonant chord with some literal-minded youngsters. Even adults might profess to being unsure about what the softly poetic prose suggests. That could be problematic for those sharing the book with children needing explanations of a few passages. Alternatively, it could prove beneficial since this slim volume should spark lively conversations about the book’s themes: of understanding, awareness of self and others, compassion, and inclusion. Lines such as “Listen / with your heart. / It is / your ears / your eyes / your nose / your mouth / your hands. / Your heart / can hear everything, / see everything, / smell everything, / taste everything, / touch everything…” should encourage animated discussion or even interpretive artwork. The soft-colored, childlike illustrations feature a lone white, dark-haired child relishing nature on most spreads. Her solitary appearance is somewhat at odds with the emphasis on inclusiveness and interconnection, however.
Just listening has its limits, but this is a start. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-250-31812-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
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by Holly M. McGhee ; illustrated by Pascal Lemaître
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by Holly M. McGhee ; illustrated by Pascal Lemaître
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
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by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Chris Chatterton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 6, 2022
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Rachel Bright
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