Young ones will need a bit of hand-holding for this simplified explanation of the New Thought movement’s law of attraction.
Boucher nobly attempts to make a rather complicated idea accessible by breaking down the law of attraction into three steps: “[S]ee in your head what you want. Believe you already have it. Make believe! When you wake up say ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you!’ ” That sounds simple enough for adults to do, but this process is much more difficult for children to comprehend—especially for those in the age group that will be drawn to Boucher’s watercolor illustrations of multicultural kids. Though the main concept presents a challenge, the book expresses other lovely, self-affirming thoughts: the beauty of being unique, believing in yourself, disregarding hurtful words and dreaming big. Again, these are major ideas that children might not be able to navigate on their own. However, this title would be an interesting starting point for a group or one-on-one discussion, since the text highlights the main ideas, and an adult would be able to fill in the blanks. For example: “Thoughts have power. They become things.” Though adults know what Boucher is trying to suggest, this wording will likely be confusing—and possibly frightening—for a group of little ones who are used to “power” being in the hands of Disney villains or Marvel superheroes. How do thoughts become “things” exactly? That’s a question an adult reader must help the child answer. At the conclusion of the book, Boucher leaves kids with several tasks, several of which are self-explanatory, such as “Laugh out loud! Tell your best friend.” But she also urges readers to “Send this happiness around the World three times.” How can kids (or adults, for that matter) even begin to do that? Perhaps including a parent/educator note to guide adults in sharing this message with children would help clarify these issues, or maybe the message could be embedded in a fictional story rather than pedagogical text.
Though this colorful picture book has a lot of heart, busy adults may prefer to share a clearer, more straightforward message.
Pub Date: Jan. 28, 2014
ISBN: 978-1452591421
Page Count: 28
Publisher: BalboaPress
Review Posted Online: July 9, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Trisha is ready to start at a new school, where no one will know she has dyslexia. At first, she is heartbroken to be in Miss Peterson’s special-ed class, aka, “the junkyard.” But Miss Peterson treats the children as anything but junk, showing them that everyone has a unique talent. Polacco’s trademark style is fully present here; her sensitively drawn alter ego shines with depth of feeling. When bullying occurs, Miss Peterson proves her students are worthwhile by planning a junkyard field trip, where they find valuable objects to be used in exciting ways. Trisha’s group repairs a plane, and the class buys an engine for it. Then a beloved class member dies, and the children must find a way to honor him. While the plot meanders somewhat, the characters are appealing, believable and provide a fine portrayal of a truly special class. Children will be drawn in by the story’s warmth and gentle humor and will leave with a spark of inspiration, an appreciation of individual differences and a firm anti-bullying message, all underscored by the author’s note that concludes the book. (Picture book. 7-10)
Pub Date: July 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-399-25078-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2010
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom.
Holy bedtime, Batman!
In a sleepy-looking neighborhood under a dusky cerulean sky, a young, brown-haired, white boy goes through the motions of getting ready for bed: he brushes his teeth, takes a bath, picks up his toys, and feeds his fish. In a parallel visual narrative, beckoned by the cat's-eye–yellow bat-signal, Batman keeps Gotham safe for another night by catching crooks, locking them away, and avenging those who have been wronged. Though the two characters are quite different, through a carefully flexible narrative, Dahl and Beavers weave a convincing tale of just how similar they might be. “It’s time to take care of business” describes the child’s trip to the potty and Batman’s dive down a manhole equally well, for instance. Beavers' art is visually striking and vibrantly hued, perfect for keeping young eyes glued to each page. Dahl's economical text is cadenced with a gentle lilt, just right for a bedtime read-aloud. Young fans of the caped crusader will delight in spying their favorite characters. In the already-overstuffed bedtime-book market, this is certainly a niche read, but it hits its mark well, delivering fun without darkness. A “bedtime checklist” at the end aptly includes “story time.”
This should send Dark Knight fans flying to the Batcave—or the bedroom. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-62370-732-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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