While purposive, a useful and even beautiful book to offer the many children whose families are affected.
In question-and-answer format, a bibliotherapeutic introduction to Alzheimer’s for young children.
Published by an Alzheimer’s research institute (for which this is also a fundraiser), this book has a clear purpose but is constrained by it; the authors do not discuss other types of dementia, for instance. Following an opening scenario in which a child’s voice describes Grandma’s newly strange behavior, the questions and answers take readers through the basics about the disease. Some of the questions feel very genuine (“Grandma sometimes gets angry.…What’s going on?”) while others (“How does the brain normally work?”) seem constructed to deliver the information the authors feel is necessary. The information presented is by and large accessible to children, but a decision not to explain what “plaques and tangles” are but rather describe what they do may prompt questions that will force readers to consult another resource, as there is no glossary. The most striking feature of this book is the artwork. Each question and answer is given one double-page spread, with a painting by a child accompanying the question and an artfully harmonizing painting by an Alzheimer’s patient accompanying the answer.
While purposive, a useful and even beautiful book to offer the many children whose families are affected. (Picture book. 4-10)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1483572857
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation
Review Posted Online: Sept. 18, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2016
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for...
A gentle voice and familiar pitfalls characterize this tale of a boy navigating the risky road to responsibility.
Gavin is new to his neighborhood and Carver Elementary. He likes his new friend, Richard, and has a typically contentious relationship with his older sister, Danielle. When Gavin’s desire to impress Richard sets off a disastrous chain of events, the boy struggles to evade responsibility for his actions. “After all, it isn’t his fault that Danielle’s snow globe got broken. Sure, he shouldn’t have been in her room—but then, she shouldn’t be keeping candy in her room to tempt him. Anybody would be tempted. Anybody!” opines Gavin once he learns the punishment for his crime. While Gavin has a charming Everyboy quality, and his aversion to Aunt Myrtle’s yapping little dog rings true, little about Gavin distinguishes him from other trouble-prone protagonists. He is, regrettably, forgettable. Coretta Scott King Honor winner English (Francie, 1999) is a teacher whose storytelling usually benefits from her day job. Unfortunately, the pizzazz of classroom chaos is largely absent from this series opener.
This outing lacks the sophistication of such category standards as Clementine; here’s hoping English amps things up for subsequent volumes. (Fiction. 6-9)Pub Date: Dec. 17, 2013
ISBN: 978-0-547-97044-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Oct. 1, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2013
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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