You go girl—use those mechanical skills.
A talented robot girl named Betty experiments with building her own mechanical friend.
Betty lives with her “parental unit,” depicted as an ENIAC-type computer with a giant screen, and her little brother, Toby. Betty is shaped like a person, with a separate head, long arms and legs, and human-style facial features, but she doesn’t come across as a visually compelling main character. Toby looks like a round barbecue grill with short appendages and a large mouth in a perpetual grin, and he has more personality. As Toby is still a baby, he can speak only in single sounds and can’t be much of a friend to Betty. She builds her new friend from a toaster supplemented with an engine and a recorded voice. When the toaster friend malfunctions and chases Betty, Toby intervenes, proving his worth to his big sister. She upgrades Toby with parts from her previous project, resulting in a new and improved brother who can now run, jump, talk, and make toast as well. A subdued palette of gray, peach, and green fails to create an energetic atmosphere, and the story’s language is rather stilted. Despite these drawbacks, a female character with robotic engineering skills will be a welcome addition in many classrooms and library collections.
You go girl—use those mechanical skills. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 10, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5132-6232-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: West Margin Press
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
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
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
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