An inspiring message for all; this will also be appreciated as a new-baby gift.
In this picture book from the former first daughters, two sisters pledge always to remember what’s most important.
This pair of “world conquerors” are tightly bonded “partners” surrounded by a close circle of friends. They observe other families getting larger, and they long for their family to expand, too. They yearn for a new addition; it doesn’t matter if that someone doesn’t look like them. That child will be treasured and loved unconditionally because “love comes first.” They’re overjoyed when a new brother and new cousin arrive. Of course, those kids are smaller, more mischievous, and move at a much slower pace, so, while the sisters have gotten what they hoped for, the reality isn’t quite the fantasy they imagined. Still, they recall that “love comes first.” And so it proceeds through the rest of this generic, pleasant book, which presents an uplifting, though unoriginal, message and illustrated exemplars about how to be with new family members: present, playful, patient, accepting—and, most of all, loving. The verse mostly scans well; its central mantra—about differences being OK, the importance of caring for family and being trustworthy, and love coming first—is set off several times throughout in an italicized paragraph. The lively illustrations were created using hand-painted textures colored digitally. The wide-eyed sisters are white; background characters are racially diverse.
An inspiring message for all; this will also be appreciated as a new-baby gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780316525022
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
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
Who wouldn’t love spending time with a memorable grandmother like this?
Grandma’s so-called errors are enough to drive anyone gaga—but in the best possible way.
On Saturdays, when Gaga visits her 4-year-old grandchild—who narrates the story—she “makes lots of mistakes.” Sometimes she wears her fuzzy slippers on her ears. Or she and her grandchild switch their eyeglasses so neither of them can see a thing. Or she substitutes a chocolate bar for chewing gum, rationalizing, “Isn’t that gum? You can chew it.” Gaga sees nothing wrong in reading an upside-down book to the child. On treks to the park, the pair walk backward. Occasionally, the protagonist’s parents disapprove of Gaga’s ideas, such as feeding their child marshmallows before dinner or filling the tub to overflowing with soap bubbles. But grandchild and Gaga agree that “mistakes are fun, aren’t they?” This is a gently comical tribute to warm, deeply loving grandmother-grandchild relationships. Gaga clearly understands that adults can easily form close bonds with kids if they use humor, behave in a childlike manner themselves, and appreciate a youngster’s sense of wonder and absurdity. The message here is that more grown-ups should make the “mistake” of loosening up a bit. The dynamic pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations are as free-wheeling and entertaining as gray-haired Gaga, who is pale-skinned; the protagonists and the parents are brown-skinned.
Who wouldn’t love spending time with a memorable grandmother like this? (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9780593529461
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
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