A cute story about kindness and self-love for worldly preschoolers.
The Leaning Tower of Pisa suffers an identity crisis in Lovato’s picture book.
Bella the Bell Tower resides in Pisa, where she’s known as the Leaning Tower and is a favorite amongst tourists and residents alike. But when four children criticize her stature and angle, she spends an entire night working hard to correct it. “My columns were GROANING. / My heavy bells SWUNG and / My marble was MOANING.” In the morning, she’s straighter than ever and capable of spotting distant scenery she hadn’t known before, but locals and visitors bemoan the transformation. It isn’t until Mayor Luigi approaches her to talk out her problems and help her find her true beauty once again that Bella is able to set herself to rights by returning to life at an angle. This rhyming picture book from Lovato conveys a welcome message about self-esteem. Its enthusiasm masks a weak narrative hinge, however, as the four bullies who upset Bella make very lukewarm comments that don’t match the vehemence of Bella’s reaction. Still, Luigi’s nuanced understanding of Bella’s sadness carries within it an important lesson about overcoming meanness. Bongini’s vibrant color illustrations bring life to the city of Pisa and are sure to engage young readers interested in Italian culture and travel.
A cute story about kindness and self-love for worldly preschoolers.Pub Date: June 30, 2024
ISBN: 9798987140161
Page Count: 44
Publisher: MB Publishing
Review Posted Online: July 29, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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