Shy and confident children alike will enjoy this story.
Small, brown-skinned Lily is able to navigate her world more easily when she wears a cat mask.
“Lily wasn’t sure she wanted to get new things for school, but her father said it would be fun.” The tiny child is walking next to her father, whose left hand reaches for a pink-striped shirt on a clothes rack as his right hand rests lightly on Lily’s curly head. The gentle washes of watercolor combine with not-quite-realistic images to enhance the text and create an underlying tone of nonthreatening humor. The slant of the willful preschooler’s body, for example, is exaggerated but resonates as true to life. When Lily is captivated by the only cat mask on a shelf of masks, her dad does “something unusual” and buys it for her. Lily wears it out of the store—and then everywhere possible, quickly realizing the advantages. Most adults completely humor the child, but when Lily starts school, Ms. Ito, her Japanese-American teacher, insists that Lily wear the mask only at recess time. Excellent artwork that will be easily understood by children shows Lily as shy but not ostracized by her diverse classmates. There is a bit of rebellion, followed by a bit of teacher push back, but not the meltdown that might be expected—probably because Lily is learning how to cope without the mask. The surprise ending is equally sweet and reassuring.
Shy and confident children alike will enjoy this story. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-425-28799-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: March 5, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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