An inspiring, beautifully told book of golden moments to be savored.
A boring rainy day becomes filled with warmth as a grandmother and grandchild travel around town doing various acts of goodwill.
Petite Marie laments the prospect of a day spent inside; today is as soggy as a bowl of cush cush (cornbread). But Gran-moman insists, “Dere’s planty we can do.” She tucks some okra and a jar of tea leaves into her purse, and they head out for a ride past sugar cane fields and pastures before making a series of visits. They offer okra and tea to one neighbor, pick up shrimp from another, and go to a church to help with the food drive. At each stop, people who are clearly familiar with Gran-moman and her generous nature offer extra treats to Petite Marie. By the time they arrive at Gran-popa’s grave, a ray of sunshine peeks through the clouds as Gran-moman remembers her late husband’s wise words about how seemingly little actions matter most. The rain continues to fall, but Petite Marie’s mood has lifted by the time they return home. This quiet story is rich with life, from the small moments and kind deeds that form the fabric of our communities to the remembrance of loved ones who live on in us. Gran-moman, Petite Marie, and the members of their community present Black and speak in a dialect of Louisiana Creole, and the author’s note discusses Black Louisiana Creole culture. Uroda’s soft illustrations use a variety of clever perspective shifts, thoughtful compositions, and cool and warm palettes to immerse us in Petite Marie’s day.
An inspiring, beautifully told book of golden moments to be savored. (cush cush recipe) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9781499816204
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Bee Books
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
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