There’s only one perfect rock-star baby in the world—and every parent has one.
ROCK-a-bye, baby!
Jimmy was born to rock and roll: His loud wails in the hospital nursery prove he’s a star as he out-shrieks the other newborns. As Jimmy grows, he wows crowds everywhere—the highchair, the bedroom (where he and Mama, his “biggest fan,” “rocked the nights away”)—the playground, the supermarket. When Mama announces that it’s naptime, the star decides that’s not in his contract and quickly rocks out of control—biting, scribbling on walls, and staging an epic tantrum—until, finally tuckered out, the rocker settles into his biggest fan’s arms and snoozes the night away. Much of the text employs snippets of classic rock lyrics, mostly from ’60s-’80s tunes. The author is self-referential, conveying his obvious musical passions and love of parenting. The book has an adult, tongue-in-cheek sensibility, appealing more to knowing parents of babies than to child readers; this will make a fun gift for baby showers and new parents. Many young parents, however, may not recognize references to some of the older classic rock tunes and will certainly benefit from the song list in the backmatter; it’s too bad a QR code isn’t included. The comic, cartoony digital illustrations are dynamic and depict the "superstar" infant and his parents as brown-skinned.
There’s only one perfect rock-star baby in the world—and every parent has one. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2023
ISBN: 9780063158429
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Sept. 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2023
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts.
Ohtani, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers, teams up with Blank and Liem to tell the story of how his dog, Decoy, threw out a ceremonial first pitch.
It’s a big day! Decoy leaps “off the bed. Then back onto the bed. Then off the bed.” The enthusiastic pup heads outside to practice with his lucky baseball but is quickly distracted by squirrels (“we’ll play later!”), airplanes (“flyin’ high!”), and flowers (“smell ya soon!”). Dog and pitcher then head to the ballpark. In the locker room, Decoy high-paws Shohei’s teammates. It’s nearly time! But as Shohei prepares to warm up, Decoy realizes that he’s forgotten something important: his lucky ball. Without it, there will be “no championships, no parades, and no hot dogs!” Back home he goes, returning just in time. With Shohei at the plate, Decoy runs from the mound to his owner, rolling the ball into Shohei’s mitt for a “Striiiiike!” Related from a dog’s point of view, Ohtani and Blank’s energetic text lends the tale a sense of urgency and suspense. Liem’s illustrations capture the excitement of the first day of baseball season and the joys of locker room camaraderie, as well as Shohei and Decoy’s mutual affection—even when the ball is drenched in slobber, Shohei’s love for his pet shines through, and clearly, Decoy is focused when it matters.
A charming tale of an athlete who may not steal any bases but who will certainly steal readers’ hearts. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063460775
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Oct. 10, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2025
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