Shines a much-needed light on oft-overlooked military kids.
An earnest chronicle of the many ways that military kids serve alongside their families.
“The way it works in a military family is, if one person serves, everyone serves.” Narrated by seven “military brats” originating from diverse racial backgrounds and family constellations (and whose parents serve in various military branches), the book discusses the unique nature of military childhood. Touching briefly on ways families stay connected during deployments and describing what it’s like to move frequently, live on base, or care for a wounded parent, Gottesfeld offers enough nitty-gritty detail to make kids with similar experiences feel seen and validated while providing a valuable opportunity for outsiders to better understand the challenges and opportunities they face. The children’s voices don’t always ring true; the young people emphasize the importance of being “brave, “patient,” and “understanding” and “doing the next best thing,” but sometimes the positivity slips into unintentionally minimizing territory, such as when a birthday party is interrupted by a dad with post-traumatic stress disorder and the potentially volatile scene feels too easily smoothed. Still, military kids will appreciate seeing their experiences reflected on the page. Grooms, a military brat herself, infuses her matte digital illustrations with warmth and purple accents, the military child’s color. Though her compositions can be a bit stiff, her affectionate multiracial portraits show obvious respect for the armed forces community.
Shines a much-needed light on oft-overlooked military kids. (Picture book. 5-10)Pub Date: Oct. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9781536230147
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: July 6, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2026
A delightful story of love and hope.
Families are formed everywhere—including large metropolitan mass-transit systems!
Baby Kevin, initially known as “Danny ACE Doe,” was found in the New York City’s 14th Street subway station, which serves the A-C-E lines, by one of his future fathers, Danny. Kevin’s other father, Pete (author Mercurio), serves as the narrator, explaining how the two men came to add the newborn to their family. Readers are given an abridged version of the story from Danny and Pete’s point of view as they work to formally adopt Kevin and bring him home in time for Christmas. The story excels at highlighting the determination of loving fathers while still including realistic moments of hesitation, doubt, and fear that occur for new and soon-to-be parents. The language is mindful of its audience (for example using “piggy banks” instead of “bank accounts” to discuss finances) while never patronizing young readers. Espinosa’s posterlike artwork—which presents the cleanest New York readers are ever likely to see—extends the text and makes use of unexpected angles to heighten emotional scenes and moments of urgency. The diversity of skin tones, ages, and faces (Danny and Pete both present white, and Kevin has light brown skin) befits the Big Apple. Family snapshots and a closing author’s note emphasize that the most important thing in any family is love. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11.3-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 43% of actual size.)
A delightful story of love and hope. (Informational picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-525-42754-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2020
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses.
An NBA star pays tribute to the influence of his grandfather.
In the same vein as his Long Shot (2009), illustrated by Frank Morrison, this latest from Paul prioritizes values and character: “My granddad Papa Chilly had dreams that came true,” he writes, “so maybe if I listen and watch him, / mine will too.” So it is that the wide-eyed Black child in the simply drawn illustrations rises early to get to the playground hoops before anyone else, watches his elder working hard and respecting others, hears him cheering along with the rest of the family from the stands during games, and recalls in a prose afterword that his grandfather wasn’t one to lecture but taught by example. Paul mentions in both the text and the backmatter that Papa Chilly was the first African American to own a service station in North Carolina (his presumed dream) but not that he was killed in a robbery, which has the effect of keeping the overall tone positive and the instructional content one-dimensional. Figures in the pictures are mostly dark-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Blandly inspirational fare made to evoke equally shrink-wrapped responses. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 10, 2023
ISBN: 978-1-250-81003-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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