by Jesús Trejo ; illustrated by Eliza Kinkz ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 10, 2024
Another enthusiastic romp.
Little Jesús assumes his most significant role yet: caring for his Mamá’s beloved plantitas.
While Mamá watches her novela, a bored Jesús does chores, resulting in a mess. So Mamá comes up with an idea. Can Jesús be a big brother to her plants while she enjoys some TV time? Jesús is thrilled; an only child, he welcomes the idea of having plant siblings. With the self-appointed title of Chief Plant Officer, Jesús gets to work the next day. He cleans up the soil around the snake plant, chills out with the bunny ear cactus, and checks in with the Swiss cheese plant. When Jesús notices that Mamá’s cherished golden pothos plant looks a little sad one afternoon, he throws an impromptu dance party to cheer it up. Unfortunately, he knocks the plant over. “Ooooh noooo! Man down!” With Papá’s assistance, Jesús and Mamá come together to ensure her plantita looks better than ever. A companion to the resplendent Papá’s Magical Water-Jug Clock (2023), Trejo and Kinkz’s latest collaboration amuses with similar madcap humor and shenanigans, focusing on the supportive mother-son relationship briefly glimpsed in the earlier book. As always, the miniature scamp’s hijinks and wry observations bring the laughs—though the antics feel a little over-the-top this time—to the forefront, matched in zany intensity by the bright, frenetic illustrations and abundant speech bubbles that break up the main text. Characters are Latine. Publishes simultaneously in Spanish.
Another enthusiastic romp. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2024
ISBN: 9781662651069
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Minerva/Astra Books for Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2024
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by Jesús Trejo ; illustrated by Eliza Kinkz
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PROFILES
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
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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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Steve Jenkins ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 18, 2014
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Robin Page
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Alexander Vidal
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by Jennifer Ward ; illustrated by Lisa Congdon
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