Offering a fantasy spin, this engaging tale encourages readers to accept themselves and others.
Tall cousins embrace their stature and enjoy a whimsical adventure in this picture book.
White cousins Iris and Cora like being tall because it enables them to excel in sports, reach high places, and “touch the bottom of the pool.” They even form a “Stand Tall” club where tall and short Black, Asian American, brown, and White friends celebrate self-acceptance. One day in the gym, Iris leaps so high she hits “her head on the basketball hoop.” As she waits for the nurse, Iris overhears kids ridiculing her height. Feeling hurt, she runs away, but Cora catches up with her. To Iris’ shock, Cora starts flying. When Cora encourages her cousin to join her, Iris says, “I can’t…I’m a giant.” Cora responds, “I think you’re a beautiful bird,” and teaches Iris how to fly. The girls soar high in the sky, and Iris proclaims: “It is great to be tall.” The girls agree that “it’s what we think that makes us who we are.” Despite the story’s quirky, dreamlike ending, the characters’ laudable displays of self-acceptance, friendship, and encouragement are appealing. In Paquette’s inspiring tale, the cousins thoughtfully demonstrate the importance of extending kindness to peers of all sizes, skin tones, appearances, and abilities. Maclean’s boldly colored, cartoonlike illustrations emphasize the girls’ height, as when Cora can’t extend her long legs in the bathtub. The scenes feature charming details like vivid skies with rainbow accents.
Offering a fantasy spin, this engaging tale encourages readers to accept themselves and others.Pub Date: Nov. 15, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-03-912496-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: FriesenPress
Review Posted Online: Jan. 19, 2022
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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
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