More gnomic guidance from a popular sage.
Once again, Yamada dispenses words of wisdom for readers young and old.
The principles for living that the author describes could suitably inspire anyone older than 6, and many suggestions will be familiar to older readers, who have probably been instructed already to face their fears, trade complaints for gratitude, “embrace making mistakes,” “stay curious,” “challenge yourself,” and “live bravely.” Courage is “a life skill you can develop and strengthen,” Yamada notes. To hone this ability, the author supplies some more incontrovertible, frequently expressed, but still valuable maxims: “be open to new things,” “lean in,” “risk failure.” Other pages expand more precisely on the admonitions: “be brave in your pursuits. Limits and fears can often be confused with one another.” “Efforts and skills are cumulative, and every little bit helps you grow.” Pithy ones are more memorable: “Trying times are for trying.” Sensible steps, like taking care of one’s own needs and accepting help, alternate with more subtle psychological counsel: “It’s okay to believe and still doubt, to hope while also feeling discouraged.” Similar in vein to Yamada’s other books, this one benefits from Santoso’s fine-line grayscale drawings with lavender accents, featuring childlike antics by a darling small hedgehog.
More gnomic guidance from a popular sage. (Picture book. 6-12)Pub Date: July 28, 2026
ISBN: 9781957891644
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 4, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2026
A solid base hit, with guidance on the great American pastime—and life itself.
Actor Renna, best known for his role in the 1993 film The Sandlot, offers baseball-themed anecdotes and affirmations.
Heartfelt reminders that life’s a marathon, not a sprint, may be familiar, but many young readers will find them revelatory. The author also stresses that failure is just as much a part of life as success, encourages children to embrace individuality and work hard despite being the underdog, and emphasizes that practice shows commitment and “prepares you for the big game or the test.” All these lessons will be relatable to young people, and many are supported by real-life stories: basketball superstar Michael Jordan’s short-lived stint in minor league baseball, an unexpected victory during Game One of the 2015 World Series, and Renna’s willingness to swallow his fear when, as a young teen, he was handed a new script just an hour before shooting a pivotal scene in The Sandlot. Each tidbit stands alone, but taken together, all 20 tenets provide a lively road map to life. The colorful spot art features images of diverse young baseball players, plus some visually appealing double-page spreads filled with movement and action. White space is used thoughtfully, allowing readers to reflect on how these words of wisdom might apply to them.
A solid base hit, with guidance on the great American pastime—and life itself. (Informational picture book. 7-11)Pub Date: Feb. 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780593754870
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 9, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2024
Hundreds of pages of unbridled uplift boiled down to 40.
From two Nobel Peace Prize winners, an invitation to look past sadness and loneliness to the joy that surrounds us.
Bobbing in the wake of 2016’s heavyweight Book of Joy (2016), this brief but buoyant address to young readers offers an earnest insight: “If you just focus on the thing that is making / you sad, then the sadness is all you see. / But if you look around, you will / see that joy is everywhere.” López expands the simply delivered proposal in fresh and lyrical ways—beginning with paired scenes of the authors as solitary children growing up in very different circumstances on (as they put it) “opposite sides of the world,” then meeting as young friends bonded by streams of rainbow bunting and going on to share their exuberantly hued joy with a group of dancers diverse in terms of age, race, culture, and locale while urging readers to do the same. Though on the whole this comes off as a bit bland (the banter and hilarity that characterized the authors’ recorded interchanges are absent here) and their advice just to look away from the sad things may seem facile in view of what too many children are inescapably faced with, still, it’s hard to imagine anyone in the world more qualified to deliver such a message than these two. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Hundreds of pages of unbridled uplift boiled down to 40. (Picture book. 6-8)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-48423-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Crown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
