by Jessica Spanyol ; illustrated by Jessica Spanyol ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 1, 2016
In a world where toy aisles and sometimes book racks are explicitly and implicitly gendered, Clive’s love of baby dolls,...
Meet Clive, a white toddler who loves to play with his toys, his accessories, and his friends.
In this title, one of a series, Clive takes tender loving care of two baby dolls, one with brown skin and the other white. He gives them a ride in a stroller, feeds them, dresses them, shows them how to use a potty, puts them to bed in a cardboard box, and finally cuddles with them in his own bed. The companion titles also demonstrate Clive’s freedom from traditional gender norms. In Clive and His Hats, the tyke plays with all sorts of headgear, including a flowery, purple hat accompanied by a lavender feather boa. He employs all sorts of luggage, such as a book bag at the library, a nurse’s bag, a sports bag full of balls, and a sleeping bag at bedtime in Clive and His Bags. And finally, in Clive and His Art, the boy explores a variety of media including painting, construction, collage, and bead threading. In each of the books, Clive plays with a diverse group of friends, including Mina, Asif, Jeffrey (who look to be of Asian, Middle Eastern, and African descent respectively), and Moshi, an endearing black cat. Spanyol’s delightful cartoons, which read as a mix of pen, ink, and cut-paper collage in muted colors and have a childlike, two-dimensional look, are clear, accessible, and joyous. While the series has a decidedly British feel, from the hero’s name to the omnipresence of paper crowns, there is nothing here to confuse North American toddlers.
In a world where toy aisles and sometimes book racks are explicitly and implicitly gendered, Clive’s love of baby dolls, frilly hats, glitter, and bags of all sorts is a breath of fresh air. (Board book. 18 mos.-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-84643-882-0
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Child's Play
Review Posted Online: Aug. 29, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
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by Kobi Yamada ; illustrated by Gabriella Barouch ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 15, 2019
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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by Carson Ellis ; illustrated by Carson Ellis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 24, 2015
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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