Enjoyable, though it has the feeling of a retread.
The gnome-filled fun continues in this companion book to Mayer and Horton’s charming Go Big or Go Gnome (2017).
Everygnome knows Ginger thanks to her curly red hair, but the spirited lass would rather be known for something else. When her friends Al and Gnorm remind her of the upcoming Winter Gnome Games, Ginger decides to compete to show the other gnomes that she’s much more than just awesome hair. “I can rock this!” The big day comes, and Ginger is ready. She shreds on her sled, she spins and zooms during the figure-skating competition, and she shows off her hockey skills during the curling event. Unfortunately, she doesn’t quite stick to the game rules at each competition. “Disqualified!” cries Englebert, the Grandmaster of the Gnome Games. Even readers not familiar with Mayer and Horton’s previous outing will guess what’s coming next, yet Ginger is likable enough to carry the story through its less-than-inspired second half. When a squirrel takes Al for an unexpected ride, Ginger steps up to save her friend, consequently earning the other gnomes’ respect and admiration (even the cantankerous Englebert’s). Featuring Mayer’s lighthearted narratorial voice, amusing details, and some returning characters, Ginger’s adventure also shares with its predecessor a bare-bones narrative and a nice if dull ending. Meanwhile, Horton’s dynamic illustrations continue to please with a diverse cast of gnomes—though the primary cast is an all-pale one—and scenes full of antics in winter wonderlands.
Enjoyable, though it has the feeling of a retread. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 14, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-12394-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Imprint
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2017
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children.
Social-equity themes are presented to children in ABC format.
Terms related to intersectional inequality, such as “class,” “gender,” “privilege,” “oppression,” “race,” and “sex,” as well as other topics important to social justice such as “feminism,” “human being,” “immigration,” “justice,” “kindness,” “multicultural,” “transgender,” “understanding,” and “value” are named and explained. There are 26 in all, one for each letter of the alphabet. Colorful two-page spreads with kid-friendly illustrations present each term. First the term is described: “Belief is when you are confident something exists even if you can’t see it. Lots of different beliefs fill the world, and no single belief is right for everyone.” On the facing page it concludes: “B is for BELIEF / Everyone has different beliefs.” It is hard to see who the intended audience for this little board book is. Babies and toddlers are busy learning the names for their body parts, familiar objects around them, and perhaps some basic feelings like happy, hungry, and sad; slightly older preschoolers will probably be bewildered by explanations such as: “A value is an expression of how to live a belief. A value can serve as a guide for how you behave around other human beings. / V is for VALUE / Live your beliefs out loud.”
Adults will do better skipping the book and talking with their children. (Board book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-78603-742-8
Page Count: 52
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 23, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2019
A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power.
Music moves a nonverbal child to speak.
The narrator explains that Ronan was “born quiet. Some days he hardly says a word.” Today, when Father and Mother suggest outings to the beach or park, he’s quiet. But he looks up when Grandfather bursts in and proposes attending a concert. With refreshing optimism, Grandfather proclaims it “an adventure,” though Ronan’s parents worry about the “challenge” and “risk” of taking him to a performance. And when Ronan, his dog, and Grandfather reach Symphony Hall, an adventure it is. When the music starts, Ronan is swept away in a whirl of notes. Collectively, the instruments sound like “a sky full of stars,” sending him and his cheerful pup into a space-themed reverie. Boss notes that “the darker instruments sound cool and frightening” and the lighter ones sound “warm and friendly” but does not name the instruments, a missed opportunity to deepen readers’ understanding of the music enthralling Ronan. Audience and orchestra members alike are moved to laughter and applause when the music stops, and an awed Ronan utters his first “WOW!” Kheiriyeh’s endearing, pastel-hued cartoon illustrations convey Ronan’s astonishment and joy. Though an author’s note explains that the story is based on an actual nonverbal child’s experience of a Mozart piece in 2019, details such as Mother’s pearls and housedress and Grandfather’s finned car evoke a bucolic 1950s setting. Ronan and his family present white; background characters are racially diverse.
A heartwarming testament to music’s emotional power. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781534499713
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
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