Bold colors and flavors serve as a reminder to embrace your heritage and all its culinary glory.
A racially diverse group of kids must navigate a tumultuous school lunch.
Students sit down at tables amid piles of colorful lunchboxes. Despite the various lunch sack designs, only sandwiches are packed with the exception of one student. As Preeti excitedly digs into their favorite foods of dhokla cake topped with vagar, with mango pickles on the side, a classmate replies that their food “smells stinky!” Even though Preeti pushes back, they later ask their mother for a sandwich for lunch tomorrow. A similar pattern is observed over several days when Mina is interrupted as she eats her gimbap or when Niki unpacks her bagel with lox, cream cheese, capers, and tomato. Ray also receives backlash when he eats his tortilla filled with cut-up hot dog, a scrambled egg, and melted cheese packed by his abuela. Even though each child defends their food choices, they all succumb to peer pressure and eat sandwiches instead. Li fills each page with bold color combinations and detailed portraits and backdrops that make each spotlighted lunch delectable. The concise narration reveals that the children all eventually tire of their daily sandwiches and decide to reclaim their favorite foods with pride. An afterword reveals that the four students are based on the childhood experiences of professional chefs. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Bold colors and flavors serve as a reminder to embrace your heritage and all its culinary glory. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 30, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-38445-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: May 10, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A laugh-out-loud, dino-themed farce.
Ever wonder why there are no dinosaurs?
Marvin and Vamos offer a possible answer with a humorous twist: Dinosaurs had hair. Imagine! If dinosaurs had hair, they must have had hair problems, too, like “parents who brushed it too hard,” “siblings who pulled it,” and “snarls. SO. MANY // SNARLS.” And if dinosaurs had hair, they probably flaunted their impressive styles by “flying with flair,” “galloping with gusto,” and “swimming with sass,” all of which led to gossip, jealousy, and hair drama like the “HAIR // WARFARE!” between Team Hair-o-dactyl and Team Pompadour-o-saurus, complete with Jurassic jeers and computer game–esque illustrations. Readers see a battle of hairstyles, “from pigtails to pixie cuts…// from pageboys to perms.” The winning style? “BIG BANGS!” As a T. rex shows off their hairdo, illustrations show asteroids raining down in the background; the final page shows a lone, feathered dino who has survived—consistent with the theory that dinosaurs evolved into birds. The book’s climax may also provide a teachable moment to distinguish the concept of the Big Bang from theories of extinction. The primary text moves the story forward briskly, but a second layer of sassy and punny speech bubbles also add humor for older readers and adults. Detailed, digitally created illustrations feature vibrant colors, hilarious hairstyles, and dinosaur facial features with lots of attitude and emotions, making this a book that will be read and reread often. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A laugh-out-loud, dino-themed farce. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 11, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-79256-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Energetic and earnest but not groundbreaking.
Unlikely friends Bear and Rabbit face fears together.
The anthropomorphic creatures set out on an adventure. Graphic-based illustrations give the book a Pixar movie feel, with a variety of page layouts that keep the story moving. Large blocks of black text are heavy on dialogue patterns as timid Bear and bold Rabbit encounter obstacles. Bear fears every one of them, from the stream to the mountain. He’ll do anything to avoid the objects of terror: taking a bus, a train, and even a helicopter. As Rabbit asks Bear if he’s frightened, Bear repeatedly responds, “I’m not scared, you’re scared!” and children will delight in the call-and-response opportunities. Adults may tire of the refrain, but attempts to keep everyone entertained are evident in asides about Bear's inability to brush food from his teeth (he’s too afraid to look at himself in the mirror) and Rabbit's superstrong ears (which do come in handy later). When Rabbit finds herself in danger after Bear defects on the adventure, Bear retraces the trip. Along the way, he notes that the stream wasn't as deep, nor the mountain as high, as he thought when he was scared. While picture-book shelves may not be screaming for another comedically sweet bear story, especially one that treads such familiar territory, many readers will appreciate this tale of overcoming fears. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Energetic and earnest but not groundbreaking. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35237-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Flamingo Books
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2022
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