When a boy reads a book about birds, his imagination takes flight. Multicolored acrylic paintings on bright, spare backgrounds narrow the focus straight to the boy and his dreams of taking wing with some colorful feathered friends. When asked, the boy’s father explains that the boy can’t fly because he doesn’t have wings—he has arms and hands instead. More “why” questions follow, resulting in the boy being hugged, swung and tossed, until he soars through the air with the help of his father. The minimal, dialogue-only text works well, allowing readers to immerse themselves in the illustrations and perhaps add some description of their own. Sitting together in an armchair, the boy and his father then embark on a new reading selection about fish. Questions about fins seem sure to follow! An engaging and effective father-son story in which the main characters are black and race is not presented as an issue, this is a charming introduction to the worlds of books, birds and imagination, and an apt choice for parent-child reading. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: March 1, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-56145-430-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2009
Joyful exuberance abounds in this mother-son collaboration that celebrates family ties and the joys of eating peanut-butter fudge. Mother leaves her three children in the care of Nana with a long list of virtuous instructions (lunch: peas, carrot sticks, fish fingers) that seems imperiled by a grandmother who wears high-top red sneakers. And in danger they are. To a playfully rhyming text, the whole crew starts out with a nap, followed by a story, a potato-sack hop, a yummy lunch (biscuits and ham; no carrot sticks visible), dancing, games and finally the fudge recipe, which is a “family secret.” Mother returns and—thank goodness—memories (in misty black and white) of preparing that same recipe quickly erase her horror. Cepeda’s brightly rendered oil paints in hot shades of green, pink, blue and yellow can barely contain the mayhem and mess. A fast-paced read-aloud that celebrates intergenerational love with a mixing-bowl–ful of humor and just a teaspoon of irreverence. Fudge recipe included. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2009
ISBN: 978-1-4169-8332-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2009
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The writing isn’t stellar, but the love depicted between the titular characters sure is.
A father and his daughter share a day full of love, play, and imagination.
The pair, described as the ultimate “daddy-daughter / power-combo superhero team,” do everything together on their special day: sip morning smoothies, play basketball, splash in the rain, and even attend a protest. Readers see a father who isn’t afraid to wear his dreadlocks in a bow, attend a tea party, or pretend to be a princess. He freely follows his daughter’s lead, breaking apart misguided stereotypes of how fathers are supposed to interact with girl children. Duchess’ illustrations center a Black father—who wears a kente shirt—and daughter and include background characters who are racially diverse, including one wearing a hijab and another with skin depigmentation. The closeness and mutual admiration between dad and daughter look and feel realistic, whether it’s the way Dad gazes at his daughter thoughtfully or tucks her gently into bed. One gets the feeling that this dynamic duo is unstoppable, that they can be whomever they want to be, and that their bond is magical. The bright digital artwork buoys the sometimes-rhyming text, which, while sweet, makes for a stilted read-aloud with phrasing that is at times choppy with an uneven cadence. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
The writing isn’t stellar, but the love depicted between the titular characters sure is. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 3, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-316-05526-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Jan. 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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