Any child who’s loved a favorite pair of shoes will identify with this vigorous Latina heroine.
A little girl loves her flip-flops to death—literally—setting up a new-shoe dilemma.
Lily Luján so loves her battered old flip-flops her family calls her Little Chanclas (or “Chanclitas,” in Crosthwaite’s parallel Spanish text). She wears them everywhere: to Chata’s Market, to Benny’s Burgerteria, and to the Department of Motor Vehicles. Tired of the constant slippity-slappety, her mother and big sister try to coax her into a different pair of shoes, but even red Mary Janes from Googie’s Boutique for Girls can’t part Lily from her beloved flip-flops. Lily loves parties even more than her flip-flops, though, and it’s dancing at a barbecue that spells doom for her battered footwear: the straps break, and one lands in the guacamole and the other right next to a hungry bulldog. Will Lily ever regain her slippity-slappety? Lozano displays a keenly sympathetic understanding of the sometimes-intense love a child bears for a favorite item of clothing. With both words and energetic, folk art–inspired illustrations, he creates a likably stubborn protagonist and situates her in a vibrant, affectionate Latino family. Skin colors modulate from pink to dark brown, reflecting a diverse community that embraces multiple Latino cultures as well as Lily’s favorite restaurant: Suki’s Sushiteria.
Any child who’s loved a favorite pair of shoes will identify with this vigorous Latina heroine. (Bilingual picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 15, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-935955-85-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cinco Puntos Press
Review Posted Online: March 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
A wonderful, affirming message that kids can’t hear often enough.
Everyone needs a boost now and then.
This delightful little book is the perfect antidote for anyone who’s ever been plagued by self-doubts, felt uncertain, or needed a quick pick-me-up. In other words, everyone. When our spirits flag, we all need to believe there’s someone in our corner ready to offer words of encouragement. Even one person cheering us on can make a world of difference. Filled with digital illustrations created with Parr’s signature bold black lines, ablaze with eye-popping colors that burst from the pages, this charmer proclaims that, no matter what—whether you’re upset because of a bad haircut or a missed soccer goal—“You will always have me!” This assertion appears several times throughout, spelled out in multicolored capital letters and spread across full pages. Can it get better than that? It can, because the declarations are accompanied by brilliantly hued small animals, people, and hearts. This book brims with love, warmth, and good cheer and reminds readers of all ages that all feelings are OK. The author saves the best for last: Love and boost yourself, and remember you have yourself to rely on, too. This empowering winner will also make a delightful gift at baby showers and for new parents.
A wonderful, affirming message that kids can’t hear often enough. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 24, 2024
ISBN: 9780316376228
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A beautiful adventure about embracing both sides of one’s heritage.
A parent spins a bedtime story that takes a biracial child on a cross-cultural journey.
Donning a cloak and sturdy boots, the protagonist enters a lush autumn forest, venturing past “mischievous hobgoblins” and “glowing will-o’-the-wisps.” The pages are richly detailed, framed with decorative borders in a palette that is reminiscent of European fairy-tale illustrations with a touch of art nouveau. In a small thatched-roof cottage, the child encounters a White-presenting wise woman who describes dragons as “fearsome and fiery creatures” that hoard treasure and defeat knights. After learning this, the young adventurer slips into another forest, one with sumptuous, flowing ink illustrations in the style of traditional Chinese landscape paintings. Guided by the footprints of nine-tailed foxes and the advice of a white rabbit who lives on the moon, the child reaches the palace of a Chinese-presenting wise woman. In this realm, dragons are described as “majestic creatures of air and fire” who “rule in the skies and rivers” and control the rain. The Chinese-presenting parent ends the tale by noting that both worlds, though distinctly different, exist within the child and are open to be explored—and that “two wise grandmothers await / to share with you / their truth about dragons.” The book feels a little message-heavy, but it’s nevertheless a much-needed celebration of intergenerational storytelling and biracial identity. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A beautiful adventure about embracing both sides of one’s heritage. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 15, 2023
ISBN: 9781250820587
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: May 9, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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