A useful resource for a common issue.
A simple Q-and-A introduction to a difficult topic.
The psychologist author starts by discussing relationships—animal and human, married and common-law—and the illustrator enhances the text with pictures of diverse couples from different cultures and sexual orientations. The questions in the illustrated text include: “What is separation?”; “What is divorce?”; “Is it ever the kid’s fault?”; What should I expect if my parents are separating or getting a divorce?”; and “What can I do to feel better?” The digital illustrations show a range of situations and emotions, but some may soft-pedal individual kids’ experiences. In demonstrating that both parents remain supportive, for instance, pictures depict two Asian parents side by side cheering a young baseball player on. This may well not happen in real life. On the last page, the author presents a few more-complex issues, including questions about custody, parents’ getting back together, and blended families. While the whole book is meant to facilitate discussion between children and adults, these last few questions and answers, while still directed at child readers, may provide more information to adults. The answers throughout the book are realistic and appropriate. This could provide comfort to children going through serious periods in their young lives, but only if they are reinforced by thoughtful parents and other loving adults.
A useful resource for a common issue. (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 21, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0951-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: Jan. 31, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
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)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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