The only thing better than reading about this full day of play is having one in real life.
Two children use pets, toys, and props to create an imaginary world of endless scope and possibilities.
“Once upon a time,” a brown-skinned girl with puffy hair is playing happily in a crystal castle (pillow fort) with her (stuffed) animal friends, when…“dun dun DUH!” A dragon comes (a pet terrier), accompanied by a pale-skinned boy wearing magician’s clothing. The dragon breathes fire and destroys the girl’s castle. But—“Ta-Da!”—the girl uses her wand to “turn the dragon into a kind dragon,” and off they fly together. But then (“dun dun DUH!”) the boy becomes a pirate and takes the girl and the dragon prisoners. Then the girl escapes and takes “an island vacation.” The boy’s “dun dun DUH!” plot twists and the girl’s “Ta-Da!” solutions alternate (as does the typeface) until the boy walks away, disappointed. After living happily for a while with her dragon, the girl goes to check on the boy, who has become a magician ready to put on a show. She helps him by providing an audience of stuffed animals and joining the show, then they run to the kitchen for a snack (“Ta-Da!”), continuing to imagine treasures and underwater adventures together. The bold, expressive illustrations blend the children’s real world with their imaginary worlds, creating a lively display on the page.
The only thing better than reading about this full day of play is having one in real life. (Picture book. 3-8)Pub Date: June 26, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-4521-4513-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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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