A terrific way for kids to engage with themselves and their folks.
A fun-to-use workbook that encourages children to express themselves in healthy, creative ways.
Most people who have kept diaries or journals can attest to the importance of having a safe place to scribble down thoughts, feelings, observations and plain silliness. Children are no different—they, too, need a nonjudgmental and easily accessible outlet for their thoughts and emotions. Lee, a child psychologist, offers young audiences a chance to explore their emotions and have fun with her workbook. After the success of her first Daily Doodle for children ages 4 to 7, the author responded to requests for a similar title for older kids. This volume includes more sophisticated writing and drawing prompts, such as “When I feel worried, I do this to help myself feel more comfortable...” Sprinkled throughout are “Doodle Breaks” for free drawing time. Another recurring page is the emotional check-in that prompts, “I feel ____ today,” accompanied by a thermometer so children can record the extent of their feeling. Lee knows what kids want—structure with the occasional chance for freedom, questions about themselves and the opportunity for honesty. They will love the chance to describe their lives in a bound book (just like Greg in Diary of a Wimpy Kid) and parents will love seeing their kids engaged in thought-provoking activities with a device that requires no batteries. Parents will also love discovering how their children see the world. In her introduction, the author encourages parents to be an integral part of their children’s journal experience by using three C’s—collaborate, create and connect. By following Lee’s suggestions, parents and kids can look forward to many happy hours. Maybe she’ll consider a Daily Doodle for adults someday.
A terrific way for kids to engage with themselves and their folks.Pub Date: March 5, 2011
ISBN: 978-1460907542
Page Count: 57
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Oct. 17, 2011
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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