A warm celebration of creativity and self-expression.
A youngster’s imagination takes flight in Bennett’s picture book.
Lulu spots a kite outside the window and ventures outside. As the child plays with this somewhat ragged kite, it takes on many shapes and forms, taking them around the neighborhood in a game of pretend. The unassuming object becomes a pet, a train, a pirate’s hat, and much more. Lulu’s game with the kite eventually catches the attention of other curious neighborhood children, and in the end, the kite is appreciated as something beautiful: “the once-plain kite bobbed and fluttered the way a bird might, a rainbow feathered bird, as it lifted high, high, high.” Bennett’s story helps children understand the importance of creativity and freedom while challenging gender stereotypes. When the kite becomes a train, a child exclaims, “And trains are for boys. Are you a boy?” Lulu confidently responds with, “I like trains,” rejecting the assumption that interests must be tied to gender. Similarly, when asked, “Are you a boy pirate or a girl pirate?” Lulu gives a simple yet powerful answer that emphasizes individuality over labels: “Arrrgh. I am a pirate pirate!” The characters vary in skin tone and gender expression; Lulu has light skin and brown hair. Brown’s bright, boldly lined digital illustrations complement the playful tone, though occasional inconsistencies in character depictions may momentarily disrupt the narrative flow.
A warm celebration of creativity and self-expression.Pub Date: July 22, 2025
ISBN: 9781633739338
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Young Dragons
Review Posted Online: May 28, 2026
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn.
A young owl achieves his grand ambition.
Owl, an adorably earnest and gallant little owlet, dreams of being a knight. He imagines himself defeating dragons and winning favor far and wide through his brave exploits. When a record number of knights go missing, Owl applies to Knight School and is surprisingly accepted. He is much smaller than the other knights-in-training, struggles to wield weapons, and has “a habit of nodding off during the day.” Nevertheless, he graduates and is assigned to the Knight Night Watch. While patrolling the castle walls one night, a hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a terrible end. The result is both humorous and heartwarming, offering an affirmation of courage and clear thinking no matter one’s size…and demonstrating the power of a midnight snack. The story never directly addresses the question of the missing knights, but it is hinted that they became the dragon’s fodder, leaving readers to question Owl’s decision to befriend the beast. Humor is supplied by the characters’ facial expressions and accented by the fact that Owl is the only animal in his order of big, burly human knights. Denise’s accomplished digital illustrations—many of which are full bleeds—often use a warm sepia palette that evokes a feeling of antiquity, and some spreads feature a pleasing play of chiaroscuro that creates suspense and drama.
A charming blend of whimsy and medieval heroism highlighting the triumph of brains over brawn. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 15, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-31062-8
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 15, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2022
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions.
Ellis, known for her illustrations for Colin Meloy’s Wildwood series, here riffs on the concept of “home.”
Shifting among homes mundane and speculative, contemporary and not, Ellis begins and ends with views of her own home and a peek into her studio. She highlights palaces and mansions, but she also takes readers to animal homes and a certain famously folkloric shoe (whose iconic Old Woman manages a passel of multiethnic kids absorbed in daring games). One spread showcases “some folks” who “live on the road”; a band unloads its tour bus in front of a theater marquee. Ellis’ compelling ink and gouache paintings, in a palette of blue-grays, sepia and brick red, depict scenes ranging from mythical, underwater Atlantis to a distant moonscape. Another spread, depicting a garden and large building under connected, transparent domes, invites readers to wonder: “Who in the world lives here? / And why?” (Earth is seen as a distant blue marble.) Some of Ellis’ chosen depictions, oddly juxtaposed and stripped of any historical or cultural context due to the stylized design and spare text, become stereotypical. “Some homes are boats. / Some homes are wigwams.” A sailing ship’s crew seems poised to land near a trio of men clad in breechcloths—otherwise unidentified and unremarked upon.
Visually accomplished but marred by stereotypical cultural depictions. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Feb. 24, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6529-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Nov. 17, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2014
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