Bedtime or naptime perfection.
How will a lonely boy in a lighthouse find a friend?
Caspian is a self-sufficient young boy who probably ages from 6 to 7 during the story. The opening double-page spread immediately draws readers into Caspian’s world of both natural beauty and isolation. Against a stark white background, a lighthouse sits above a sheer cliff of sand and rock. Far below and to the right, the tiny figure of Caspian is visible on a small sliver of land, gazing toward the sea. The opening words inform readers that Caspian lives in the lighthouse. Poetic lines about Caspian’s life follow: “Every day, he watches the waves, / wondering, waiting, wishing for a friend.” When he gets no results from beaming his lighthouse light, a delightful double-page sequence shows Caspian printing a message on a paper, emptying a translucent green jug of its flowers, and carefully pushing his rolled-up message into it. More lyrical text and dreamlike art follow, as Caspian sends his message out to sea, waits for months, and eventually gets a one-word response. He rows his little boat out under the night sky’s constellations, and eventually he meets up with the friend who will bear him back home. The striking, stylized art and text work perfectly together to create a whimsical, nonthreatening story that still has plenty of action and adventure—with the bonus of not one interfering grown-up. Caspian is depicted with pale skin, straight, dark hair, and dark eyes.
Bedtime or naptime perfection. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4521-3780-3
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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