A good message, but one limited to the able-bodied.
This children’s picture book encourages kids to love their bodies and what they can do.
In a cartoon-bright playground filled with bees, squirrels, butterflies, and leafy trees, a group of large-eyed children romp. Each is special, “with lots of gifts” and an inner light that glows “bright and beautifully.” The children take turns saying what they love about themselves—eyes, nose, hands, mouth, ears, legs, feet, and knees—and why: because each part helps a child experience something wonderful. A nose “helps me breathe the fresh, clean air and summer breeze”; ears “help me hear my friends talking, far and near.” With “every part made perfectly,” each kid concludes, “I LOVE ME!” Space is provided for kids to write down what they love about themselves. Idonije (I Love Football, 2017, etc.) gives the book’s self-esteem concept a lot of breezy energy, helped by RF’s full-color, kinetic illustrations. Idonije’s verse mostly scans well, with a bouncy rhythm. It’s good, too, that Renzo pays attention to diversity, including black, Asian, and Caucasian children. It’s disappointing, though, that this body-focused tale doesn’t take disabled kids into account, whose ears, eyes, or limbs may not be “made” the same way, and who therefore may not recognize themselves in this book as deserving of self-love.
A good message, but one limited to the able-bodied.Pub Date: April 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-946687-08-1
Page Count: 20
Publisher: ATHLiTACOMiCS
Review Posted Online: Sept. 29, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Wonderful, indeed
A love song to baby with delightful illustrations to boot.
Sweet but not saccharine and singsong but not forced, Martin’s text is one that will invite rereadings as it affirms parental wishes for children while admirably keeping child readers at its heart. The lines that read “This is the first time / There’s ever been you, / So I wonder what wonderful things / You will do” capture the essence of the picture book and are accompanied by a diverse group of babies and toddlers clad in downright adorable outfits. Other spreads include older kids, too, and pictures expand on the open text to visually interpret the myriad possibilities and hopes for the depicted children. For example, a spread reading “Will you learn how to fly / To find the best view?” shows a bespectacled, school-aged girl on a swing soaring through an empty white background. This is just one spread in which Martin’s fearless embrace of the white of the page serves her well. Throughout the book, she maintains a keen balance of layout choices, and surprising details—zebras on the wallpaper behind a father cradling his child, a rock-’n’-roll band of mice paralleling the children’s own band called “The Missing Teeth”—add visual interest and gentle humor. An ideal title for the baby-shower gift bag and for any nursery bookshelf or lap-sit storytime.
Wonderful, indeed . (Picture book. 1-4)Pub Date: Aug. 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-385-37671-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: June 5, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2015
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
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