by Kathleen Contreras ; illustrated by Gary Undercuffler ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 31, 2018
Un libro muy sabroso.
Lupe and her mamá have spent months planting, weeding, and watering, because there’s nothing better than a salsa garden.
Pungent cilantro, eye-tearing onions, mouth-searing chilis, nostril-flaring garlic, and…oh, no! The biggest, reddest, juiciest tomatoes have disappeared! In their place is a gold chain and medal. The mystery is later solved when Lupe catches a hungry classmate gathering another armload of tomatoes for his family. Antonio agrees to help tend the garden in exchange for the return of his grandmother’s necklace and more tomatoes. A friendship develops between the children, giving Lupe an idea—why doesn’t she invite the neighbors to help with next year’s garden? As the plants thrive so does the camaraderie, and soon the harvest includes the fruit of long-lasting friendships. The author’s strong connection with her Mexican-American culture is evident in the comforting, family-reinforcing narrative. Undercuffler’s engaging and detailed illustrations bring Lupe and her exuberant friends to life. His multiethnic composition of the neighborhood portrays a strong, positive image of all that is good in America. Readers will enjoy discovering the artist sitting among the partygoers. Contreras’ uncomplicated bilingual tale highlights the importance of compassion, cooperation, and companionship. Three simple garden recipes are appended, including one for a pico de gallo salsa.
Un libro muy sabroso. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: May 31, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-55885-858-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Piñata Books/Arte Público
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2018
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by Alexandra Penfold ; illustrated by Suzanne Kaufman ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 2, 2021
The story’s slight but allows kids to practice identifying and dealing with their own big feelings.
The diverse group of kids from All Are Welcome (2018) this time gathers in a vacant lot with tools in hand to clear the debris and make something new. But therein lies the rub: What should the something new be? While the exact nature of the disagreement is unfortunately not made clear to readers, the big feelings that the children exhibit are very clear (and for readers who need practice reading facial clues, there’s a labeled chart of 15 in the frontmatter). This book’s refrain is “How can I help? / What can we do?” And the answers, spread over several pages and not spelled out in so many words but rather shown in the illustrations, are: talk it through, compromise, and see things from another perspective. As a guide for dealing with feelings and problem-solving, the book is a bit slim and lacks a solid story to hook readers. But, as with its predecessor, its strength is again the diversity on display in its pages. There’s a rainbow of skin tones and hair colors as well as abundant variation in hair texture, several children exhibit visible disabilities, including one child who uses a wheelchair, and there are markers of religious and cultural diversity. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 29.6% of actual size.)
The story’s slight but allows kids to practice identifying and dealing with their own big feelings. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-525-57974-8
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 24, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2021
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by Christina Soontornvat ; illustrated by Barbara Szepesi Szucs ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 25, 2019
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
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by Sarah Mlynowski & Christina Soontornvat ; illustrated by Maxine Vee
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by Christina Soontornvat ; illustrated by Kevin Hong
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