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DOOR

Name: DOOR
Author: JiHyeon Lee
ISBN: 978-1-4521-7142-5

by JiHyeon Lee ; illustrated by JiHyeon Lee ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 2, 2018

This simple tale of being a stranger in a strange land is not new, but readers will be drawn to its quiet charm and...

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A child finds a key to a mysterious door leading to a colorful, fantastical world full of friendly creatures.

Author/illustrator Lee follows up her debut, Pool (2015), with another wordless tale of a child exploring an unfamiliar land. Pencil drawings begin in drab black and white, but once the light-skinned child with little round eyes walks through the door, they collide with a bright red creature in a colorful landscape. The frightened and hungry child then finds a new friend who invites them to join their family for a picnic, activities, and a wedding. Readers will note the child gaining color as the book progresses and other creatures of all different types and sizes enter through numerous magical doors to attend the celebration. The creatures speak in a language that is written in squiggles, and the charming illustrations include details that illuminate the variety of their shapes, colors, and sizes as well as their cultures. Though neither readers nor protagonist can understand the language of these new friends, their welcoming warmth is clearly conveyed, and the child, in full color and smiling broadly, returns home through the magic door—leaving the padlock open.

This simple tale of being a stranger in a strange land is not new, but readers will be drawn to its quiet charm and welcoming message of inclusion. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Oct. 2, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-4521-7142-5

Page Count: 56

Publisher: Chronicle Books

Review Posted Online: July 15, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2018

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
POOL
by JiHyeon Lee ; illustrated by JiHyeon Lee

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)