The unnecessary original “sing-along” song without music at the close aside, young music lovers will want to play along.
What’s a music-loving girl to do when everyone tells her now’s not the time?
Lexi-Lou is many spectacular things in her imagination, but one thing she is for real is a girl who loves to sing. She and her dog, Monkey, sing in the morning, but her mother tells her it’s time for breakfast. She sings in her bedroom, and her father tells her it’s time to brush her teeth. When she finally gets some time to rock out, her brother Daniel asks when she’ll be performing. Lexi-Lou thinks a concert’s a great idea, but she’ll need a band. She follows the music to Henry’s house; he’ll play keyboard for her. They follow the sounds of a guitar to Gigi’s house; she’ll join, too. There’s still something missing…they follow several sounds until they find Boo, who’s great on drums! The band’s complete except for a name: The Punkydoos, Daniel’s nickname for Lexi-Lou, will do! Now no one tells them to stop playing. Jackson’s debut is an energetic tale of self-acceptance and making dreams happen for the preschool set. Lexi-Lou does more than any real tyke that age could—and with a whole lot more independence—but little listeners will identify with her enthusiasm. Andreasen’s wide-eyed cartoon illustrations, a mix of spot and full-bleed, are an apt match.
The unnecessary original “sing-along” song without music at the close aside, young music lovers will want to play along. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-4339-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: April 8, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2014
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
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
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
