While colorfully executed, this conveys a message about colors that not every youngster may get.
Colors beautify the world.
“When long ago the world was young and everything was new,” things were bleak and needed prettying up. As told through this creation (rather than concept) tale and narrated via rhyme that is more enthusiastic than it is graceful, a red-haired, white male maestro leads a team of enthusiastic paints in jars in tackling that job. And go at the world with gusto the colors do, each taking on natural topographical features, foods, heavenly bodies, plants, and animals and imbuing them with their now-familiar hues. Some things remain colorless, however—to prepare humankind for the appearance of gorgeous rainbows and a powerful message: All colors are beautiful, bring unity, and “we find our best selves there.” Nice point, though the story takes a meandering time reaching it. The child-appealing illustrations are energetic but pose their own challenges. The book’s child characters are racially diverse, but two apparently Asian characters display unfortunate stereotypes, as they usually appear with closed eyes. Moreover, the male, who seems to represent a Pacific Islander, is portrayed as rotund, with yellowish-brown skin, wears an animal-tooth necklace and a loincloth, and brandishes flaming torches. Some readers may also note the odd portrayal of the (literal) leader of the paints: Why is he depicted as a musical conductor and not an artist?
While colorfully executed, this conveys a message about colors that not every youngster may get. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4867-1464-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Flowerpot Press
Review Posted Online: July 23, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2018
An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival.
Riffing on the nursery rhyme “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe,” this picture book explores Diwali celebrations in India.
The story opens, “One, two… // mehndi for you.” Mehndi is defined below the text, and a colorful illustration depicts people showing off the mehndi on their hands. Once the book reaches 10, it starts counting backward (“Ten, nine” / fireworks shine”), continuing the rhyming pattern. The text defines Hindi words such as rangoli (“colorful designs made on the floor or ground using chalk and flowers”), diya (traditional clay lamps), and jalebi (a sweet made from deep-frying dough) as well as potentially unfamiliar English words, such as rickshaw. While not all the words are directly related to Diwali, most are common vocabulary used in northern India, rendering the book a child-friendly introduction to South Asian Hindu culture. Lush illustrations in a joyful, vibrant palette convey the feelings of India’s festive season and feature characters with a variety of skin tones but mostly similar hair textures. While the authors’ note acknowledges India’s linguistic diversity—pointing out the holiday’s alternative spelling of Deepavali—it calls Diwali an “Indian” holiday when it is actually a Hindu holiday. (This book was reviewed digitally; the review has been updated for accuracy.)
An upbeat introduction to a Hindu festival. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5344-5365-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
Poetry aside, it’s these beautiful paintings that will inspire a love of trees.
The artwork is the star of this poetic tribute to trees.
Lush paintings, dense with color, texture, and light, illustrate a simple poem extolling trees. Each spread illuminates a short verse centering on a single idea, such as, “Trees love sky” (a single maple rises into the sky); “Trees love clouds” (viewers look directly up through a redwood canopy to clouds above); “Some trees bloom” (butterflies alight on apple blossoms); or “Some trees are old” (a gnarled bristlecone pine stands sentinel on a ledge). Bozic uses acrylic paints directly on wooden panels, and the wood grains that show through give each illustration added dimension and texture, especially when the paint is thin or absent entirely. The effect is enchanting, and the intricately detailed illustrations will catch the attention of sophisticated readers. However, the masterful technique serves Johnston’s simple text (suitable for very young children) at face value, missing the opportunity to create a rich dialogue between poem and art. Still, the book is a visual wonder. Each page is independent of the others with no narrative, though the characteristics of trees that are highlighted move gently and logically from the natural world to the human interaction within it. Backmatter includes the names of all the trees depicted as well as a list of conservation organizations and further reading. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Poetry aside, it’s these beautiful paintings that will inspire a love of trees. (author's note, illustrator's note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Oct. 19, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-5344-7517-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 17, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2021
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