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I AM PERFECTLY DESIGNED

Name: I AM PERFECTLY DESIGNED
Author: Karamo Brown
ISBN: 978-1-250-23221-2

by Karamo Brown & Jason "Rachel" Brown ; illustrated by Anoosha Syed ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5, 2019

The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair.

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A black father and son share a loving, nostalgic dialogue in this empowering picture book.

Whether it’s a pancake breakfast, playing in the falling leaves of an autumn walk, wearing coordinating Halloween costumes (a bottle of organic maple syrup and a waffle), or enjoying a healthy salad picnic in the park, it is clear that this pair is made for each other. The all-dialogue text is written by real-life father-and-son pair Karamo Brown (of Queer Eye) and Jason Brown; reminiscing through baby pictures, reaching for the stars on a rooftop deck, or pretending to be statues, these characters pull readers in with every turn of the page. “I had such a big baby head!” remarks the boy; “Indeed,” replies his father. “But your big baby head was perfectly designed for you.” Syed’s bright, cartoon illustrations showcase the warmth of city life with an abundance of endearing, diverse families. The artwork includes details among background characters that enrich the tale with a meaningful message of kindness and inclusion, as in T-shirts with such slogans as “Be Kind” and “Feminist,” multiple same-sex couples, and characters with various types of religious garb. With tenderness and wit, this story captures the magic of building strong childhood memories.

The Browns and Syed celebrate the special bond between parent and child with joy and flair. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-250-23221-2

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Henry Holt

Review Posted Online: Aug. 27, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

- BOOK REVIEW
I AM OKAY TO FEEL
by Karamo Brown & Jason "Rachel" Brown ; illustrated by Diobelle Cerna

- PROFILES
Queer Eye’s Karamo Brown Talks About the Picture Book He Wrote With His Son

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JUST BECAUSE

by Matthew McConaughey illustrated by Renée Kurilla ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 12, 2023

Charming and thought-provoking proof that we all contain multitudes.

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Oscar winner McConaughey offers intriguing life observations.

The series of pithy, wry comments, each starting with the phrase “Just because,” makes clear that each of us is a mass of contradictions: “Just because we’re friends, / doesn’t mean you can’t burn me. / Just because I’m stubborn, / doesn’t mean that you can’t turn me.” Witty, digitally rendered vignettes portray youngsters diverse in terms of race and ability (occasionally with pets looking on) dealing with everything from friendship drama to a nerve-wracking footrace. “Just because I’m dirty, / doesn’t mean I can’t get clean” is paired with an image of a youngster taking a bath while another character (possibly an older sibling) sits nearby, smiling. “Just because you’re nice, / doesn’t mean you can’t get mean” depicts the older one berating the younger one for tracking mud into the house. The artwork effectively brings to life the succinct, rhyming text and will help readers make sense of it. Perhaps, after studying the illustrations and gaining further insight into the comments, kids will reread and reflect upon them further. The final page unites the characters from earlier pages with a reassuring message for readers: “Just because the sun has set, / doesn’t mean it will not rise. / Because every day is a gift, / each one a new surprise. BELIEVE IT.” As a follow-up, readers should be encouraged to make their own suggestions to complete the titular phrase. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Charming and thought-provoking proof that we all contain multitudes. (Picture book. 5-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023

ISBN: 9780593622032

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Viking

Review Posted Online: June 8, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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)