Young activist dreamers will appreciate the new perspective and environmental call to action.
A new perspective can sometimes work wonders.
Awakened one night by a noise, Sofia finds her gaze following a beam of light to the Moon’s winking eye, and they chat. “From this night on, a friendship grew / into a bond both strong and true.” Later, Sofia, presented with a light complexion and dark hair and eyes, notices the Moon is sad and wants to help. She follows the Moon’s suggestion and visits the Moon in a dream. As Sofia looks from the Moon toward Earth, Moon explains that Mother Earth is her “closest relative,” but Earth’s “people seem so unaware / that what Earth needs is better care.” Moon suggests simple things everyone can do to take care of Mother Earth, and Sofia makes “a pledge of things to do / like passing on these words to you.” While the often forced rhyme is light on specifics, backmatter defines air, land, and water pollution, then presents a bulleted list of everyday activities that can help keep “Earth clean and healthy.” Sidebars in the backmatter include insightful reflections from male and female astronauts who witnessed planet Earth from space. Realistic illustrations mostly in neutral creams and grays capture the “pearl” and “opal glow” of Sofia’s moon but may not capture the attention of young readers.
Young activist dreamers will appreciate the new perspective and environmental call to action. (author’s note) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-4926-9873-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little Pickle Press
Review Posted Online: Oct. 22, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2019
Gives new meaning to the notion that every dog—or pup—has its day.
A young girl learns that plans that go awry need not spoil the day.
Ollie has ambitious intentions for dog sitting Milo, her grandmother’s puppy, but those plans are spoiled when he chews up her drawing, a gift intended for Grandma when she returns from visiting friends. The girl scolds the little dog and then takes some time to herself, leaving him behind and walking farther and farther away from home in order to cool off. But as the illustrations show, Milo is never far behind, surreptitiously trailing her all the way through the woods. Ollie reflects on the part she played in the drawing’s destruction, since she knew better than to leave it unguarded on the floor, and she regrets getting mad at the dog. When she finally stops and wishes for company, the loyal pup is right nearby. They spend their day frolicking in the woods, playing fetch, splashing in mud puddles, and hunting for treasure as pirates. When they return home, she still has time to draw another picture or two. Accessible text with relatable, appealing characters helps the message of adaptability go down smoothly. The charming artwork features various shades of gray as well as pink and red spot color, often in heart shapes. Ollie, who has skin the white of the page, wears a dog costume throughout the story. Her experience demonstrates that things can work out just fine, even when they weren’t what you had in mind.
Gives new meaning to the notion that every dog—or pup—has its day. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Dec. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9781665965903
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Paula Wiseman/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2024
An expertly crafted, soulful, and humorous work that tenderly explores identity, culture, and the bond between father and...
Thunder Boy Smith Jr. hates his name.
The Native American boy is named after his father, whose nickname is Big Thunder. Thunder Boy Jr. says his nickname, Little Thunder, makes him "sound like a burp or a fart." Little Thunder loves his dad, but he longs for a name that celebrates something special about him alone. He muses, “I love playing in the dirt, so maybe my name should be Mud in His Ears.…I love powwow dancing. I’m a grass dancer. So maybe my name should be Drums, Drums, and More Drums!” Little Thunder wonders how he can express these feelings to his towering father. However, he need not worry. Big Thunder knows that the time has come for his son to receive a new name, one as vibrant as his blossoming personality. Morales’ animated mixed-media illustrations, reminiscent of her Pura Belpré Award–winning work in Niño Wrestles the World (2013), masterfully use color and perspective to help readers see the world from Little Thunder’s point of view. His admiration of his dad is manifest in depictions of Big Thunder as a gentle giant of a man. The otherwise-muted palette bursts with color as Thunder Boy Jr. proudly enumerates the unique qualities and experiences that could inspire his new name.
An expertly crafted, soulful, and humorous work that tenderly explores identity, culture, and the bond between father and son. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-01372-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
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