Purposeful, but saved from didacticism by the sheer exuberance of the illustrations; the accessible text introduces the idea...
Although today’s kids usually communicate through texting or email, Elliot from the United States and Kailash from India use pictures and a few simple sentences to exchange information about their lives.
Their teachers facilitate the snail mailing of pictorial letters, just as the author-illustrator did when she visited Nepal, which provided the inspiration for this book. The title, also used as a refrain throughout the book, is a popular saying in India and Nepal, heard by Kostecki-Shaw when she traveled there. Elliot and Kailash explore their similarities and differences, concluding that their lives are “Different, different but the SAME!” The engaging childlike acrylic paintings with crayon, pencil, tissue paper and other collage elements show the busy crowded American streets of Elliot’s city, the traditional buildings of Kailash’s riverside village, the taxis and buses in the States and the taxis and camel-pulled carts in India. The English alphabet is reproduced on wide-ruled notebook paper and the Hindi alphabet (unfortunately unidentified) on a small slate, and both typical American pets (dog and fish) and a whole farmyard of Indian animals appear. Both kids live unusually low-tech lives (no computers or cell phones in sight), but they each enjoy learning about their pen pal’s world.
Purposeful, but saved from didacticism by the sheer exuberance of the illustrations; the accessible text introduces the idea of traditional two-way communication and demonstrates just how small our world can be. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8050-8946-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano/Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: July 5, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2011
Even tantrum-prone readers will love seeing how the grumbletroll works through rage and restores friendships.
When he’s frustrated, hungry, and stubborn, even the nicest troll can turn into a grumbletroll.
“Right behind the forest, first a few steps straight ahead, then once to the left and twice to the right, there lives a little troll.” He’s clearly enjoying a marvelous life—until he decides to build himself a cottage retreat. When his construction collapses, the furry, bright blue troll stomps off in an escalating tantrum described and depicted with both humor and insight. When apples won’t fall from the tree, he shouts “so angrily” that “the worms in the apples get hiccups.” Every little thing makes him rage harder. “It’s as if there is a thunderstorm living inside him. With lightning shooting out of the sky. With thunder rumbling tremendously.” Now the grumbletroll emerges, complete with two scraggly tusks marring his once-cuddly face. That night, his animal friends encourage the grumbletroll to settle down and let them sleep, but he defiantly insists on sleeping sitting up. The next morning, when the grumbletroll roars with complaints, his fed-up friends leave. Soon lonely and bored, the grumbletroll floats an apology to his friends, who are, perhaps unrealistically, quick to accept, and troll’s marvelous life resumes, his cottage retreat now complete. At more than 800 words, this book is recommended for practiced listeners who are also ready to think about managing their own anger. This German import is a companion title for a plush toy developed by creative team aprilkind.
Even tantrum-prone readers will love seeing how the grumbletroll works through rage and restores friendships. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: April 28, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-7643-6117-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Schiffer
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2021
A sweet reminder to pause and ponder life’s everyday wonders.
A young girl models mindfulness as she savors each moment.
This charming and vibrant picture book opens in Tisha’s backyard, where she is reaching skyward as falling blossoms float toward her. Her joy and anticipation are disrupted by a series of “hurry up” commands from those around her, who prod her to rush for the school bus, attend an assembly, and make sure that she doesn’t miss lunch. The externally imposed directions conflict with Tisha’s natural curiosity, which compels her not only to “listen to the sounds” and to count the spots on a ladybug she finds during recess, but also to create connections between a book she finds about space and the space shuttle she imagines but cannot finish drawing because “it’s time to put the crayons away.” When Tisha requests “a little slowdown,” she and Mommy decide to walk home and play “How Many?” along the way; they also snuggle on a park bench and name all the pigeons. What began as a harried day ends on an idyllic note with a family picnic under flowering trees; when the wind blows, Tisha can catch a blossom at last. Artful and striking illustrations produce a multitude of visual textures that delineate individual blooms, sketch Tisha’s neighborhood, render colorful yet subtle details of characters and clothing, and deliver painterly impressions. Tisha and her family are tan-skinned with dark hair; her classmates are diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A sweet reminder to pause and ponder life’s everyday wonders. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 17, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2198-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: April 12, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2022
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