A tender reminder that family and culture can buoy us after loss.
Gracie’s grandpa died recently, and her grandmother is grieving.
Usually, when Bubbe visits, she and Gracie do all kinds of things together, but this time Bubbe is too sad. When Bubbe mentions how she loved using Yiddish words with Gracie’s grandfather, the little girl asks her grandmother to teach her Yiddish. Gracie already knows zayde (grandfather) and bubbe, but Bubbe teaches her other words, some of which have passed into English and which readers may already know, like nosh (“eat a snack”). Bubala, as Bubbe explained earlier, means “little grandmother” and is a term of endearment. And at bedtime, Bubbe tells Gracie, “A gute nakht” (“goodnight”). Bubbe uses Yiddish words in context, and Grace picks them up easily, as will readers. Slowly, as the two bond over the language, Bubbe starts to smile and even laughs out loud one day. Colorful, stylized illustrations show a family resemblance among Gracie, her mom, and her grandma. The reality of death is introduced, but the focus is on naches, or joy, that one’s children and grandchildren can bring, even after a loved one dies. This is a gentle take on coping with a loss that can be used in educational settings or among families. In an author’s note, Sutton explains that “Different people pronounce these words in different ways.” The main characters are light-skinned and Jewish; Gracie’s neighborhood is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A tender reminder that family and culture can buoy us after loss. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-8075-1023-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Whitman
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Totes adorbs.
A cuddly, squishy pug’s puggy-wuggy diary.
Equipped with both #pugunicorn and #pughotdog outfits, pug Baron von Bubbles (aka Bub) is the kind of dog that always dresses to impress. Bub also makes lots of memorable faces, such as the “Hey, you’re not the boss of me!” expression aimed at Duchess, the snooty pink house cat. Some of Bub’s favorite things include skateboarding, a favorite teddy, and eating peanut butter. Bub also loves Bella, who adopted Bub from a fair—it was “love at first sniff.” Together, Bub and Bella do a lot of arts and crafts. Their latest project: entering Bella’s school’s inventor challenge by making a super-duper awesome rocket. But, when the pesky neighborhood squirrel, Nutz, makes off with Bub’s bear, Bub accidentally ruins their project. How will they win the contest? More importantly, how will Bella ever forgive him? May’s cutesy, full-color cartoon art sets the tone for this pug-tastic romp for the new-to–chapter-books crowd. Emojilike faces accentuate Bub’s already expressive character design. Bub’s infectious first-person narration pushes the silly factor off the charts. In addition to creating the look and feel of a diary, the lined paper helps readers follow the eight-chapter story. Most pages have fewer than five sentences, often broken into smaller sections. Additional text appears in color-coded speech bubbles. Bella presents white.
Totes adorbs. (Fiction. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53003-2
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
A strong, accessible diary story for readers seeking an adorable animal tale.
Bub the anxious pug tackles snow days and new neighbors in his second outing.
Bub, acclaimed by some as “the cutest pug on the planet,” at first shares the enthusiasm owner Bella expresses about snow days even though he doesn’t know what they are. Then Duchess the cat (mildly antagonistic, in typical feline fashion) rains on Bub’s parade by pointing out that snow is water—and Bub’s no fan of rain or baths. After a comedic and disastrous first attempt, Bub learns how to properly dress for snow and enjoy it. The outdoor fun’s cut short by mysterious noises coming from the new neighbor, which frighten Bella into thinking there’s a monster. Bub puts on a Sherlock Holmes get-up to investigate but becomes afraid himself of the new neighbor’s large dog. Finally, Bella meets Jack, who’s been working on a tree fort, and his dog, Luna, who is enthusiastically friendly. The story ends on a positive note, as they all happily work together on the fort. The full-color cartoon illustrations, especially of Bub, are adorably expressive and certain to please the age group. The generous font and format—short, diary-entry paragraphs and speech-bubble conversations—create a quick pace. Bub’s stylized emoji bubbles return and are most hilarious when used to express his nervous flatulence. Bella and Jack both present white.
A strong, accessible diary story for readers seeking an adorable animal tale. (Fantasy. 5-7)Pub Date: Dec. 26, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-53006-3
Page Count: 80
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 12, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2019
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