A humorously deadpan lesson in perspective.
Bigfoot turns out to possess a big heart—and a low tolerance for cognitive dissonance.
Who are these “mysterious creatures,” “so dangerous, and so treacherous,” who compel a sasquatch to fear them above everything? Why, us humans, of course—because we take over lands that don’t belong to us, urinate in the sasquatches’ gardens, and contaminate water simply by swimming in it. But in this handy guide addressed to fellow cryptids, Bigfoot explains how to identify the small threats by sight (“hairless limbs and faces”), by smell (especially farts), and by their “ear-piercing” sound. Though Bigfoot warns that humans are to be avoided at all costs, this directive isn’t so easy to follow. Playing dead is impossible when an intrepid, light-skinned young camper starts tickling the protagonist’s feet, and the child’s granola bars prove irresistible to Bigfoot. When the youngster, unable to remember the way back to the other campers, hides a teary face in the beast’s warm fur, it becomes clear that little humans aren’t exactly as myth has portrayed them. The book’s cautious advice diverges radically and amusingly from what we see in the illustrations and from what Bigfoot experiences. Childlike artwork in subdued colors with crayonlike strokes suggests authentic authorship by the big furry narrator, who never looks menacing and becomes more cuddly as the story progresses.
A humorously deadpan lesson in perspective. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: May 6, 2025
ISBN: 9781525312632
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
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