An equal assortment of silent play opportunities and imagination makes the concept of quiet very cool indeed.
“Noisy” has finally met its match.
This gentle tale makes “quiet” seem quite enticing. The day begins for a dark-haired, light-skinned boy with plenty of noisy, onomatopoeic fun. The “CLITTER-CLATTER” of the toy box and the “loud BOW-WOW!” of a pup are wonderful to begin with, and there’s even more fun to be had when an imaginary dragon, bear, rabbit, and monkey provide their own sound effects. Then, “suddenly,” the boy’s mother, who resembles her son, leads him inside for quiet time. “The quiet drifts in on a current of air / and settles in a tiny chair / and makes itself at home.” The boy forgets to keep the noise down and is shushed lovingly before opening his “quiet bag” wide, finding such gentle amusements as a puzzle, crafts, and books. In time it’s OK to be boisterous once more. The book deftly introduces the concept of balancing rambunctious play with peaceful fun, providing a model for introducing the latter into a home. Shin’s gentle and sophisticated mix of acrylic paint and digital media cleverly renders the quiet a visual experience by picturing it as a series of dots that circle and swirl in a clear attempt to soothe. Even readers accustomed to regular quiet times may wonder at the abrupt shift from noisy play to quiet, however.
An equal assortment of silent play opportunities and imagination makes the concept of quiet very cool indeed. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-101-94049-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Nov. 21, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2017
A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts.
A playful counting book also acts as a celebration of family and human diversity.
Shannon’s text is delivered in spare, rhythmic, lilting verse that begins with one and counts up to 10 as it presents different groupings of things and people in individual families, always emphasizing the unitary nature of each combination. “One is six. One line of laundry. One butterfly’s legs. One family.” Gomez’s richly colored pictures clarify and expand on all that the text lists: For “six,” a picture showing six members of a multigenerational family of color includes a line of laundry with six items hanging from it outside of their windows, as well as the painting of a six-legged butterfly that a child in the family is creating. While text never directs the art to depict diverse individuals and family constellations, Gomez does just this in her illustrations. Interracial families are included, as are depictions of men with their arms around each other, and a Sikh man wearing a turban. This inclusive spirit supports the text’s culminating assertion that “One is one and everyone. One earth. One world. One family.”
A visually striking, engaging picture book that sends the message that everyone counts. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 26, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-374-30003-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Frances Foster/Farrar, Straus & Giroux
Review Posted Online: Feb. 2, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet.
Daywalt and Jeffers’ wildly popular Crayons have an important ecological message.
Though climate change is never mentioned, the book nevertheless gently introduces responsibility for Planet Earth. As in previous titles, the main text is in a large black font, while the Crayons’ dialogue is presented in a smaller, gray font. Blue begins by showing off a blue-tinged image of the globe (land masses are depicted in a darker hue). Green takes over: “Yay, Trees! I did those!” Beige breaks in, pointing to a tiny wheat plant next to two large trees: “And wheat! I did the WHEAT!” Beige puts wheat front and center throughout—even on White’s drawing of mountaintop ice caps. When Red, Yellow, and Orange display drawings of various fruits, Beige interjects, “And WHEAT. Wheat is totally fruit.” Diplomatic Purple politely responds, “Um. NO. It is not.” Purple attempts to dissuade self-important Beige, but it all ends happily as the Crayons join hands and proclaim: “Our planet has all of us too, in many shapes, colors, and sizes.” Beige and Purple reconcile, with Beige adding, “And it’s our job to keep the planet safe.” Young children will easily absorb this positive message. Although these characters have had many outings, their quiet humor still succeeds, and fans will definitely want this new entry.
A droll exploration of color and nature—and a welcome reminder to safeguard our planet. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593621080
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Nov. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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