A tame attempt to rewrite and take control of familiar stories.
A big brother tries to entertain his little sister with fairy tales.
Gabriel imagines himself as the hero of “Little Red Riding Hood” and “The Three Little Pigs,” but as he reads these versions to little sister Mia, he bowdlerizes them to make sure that “nothing bad happens.” He’s afraid of the big bad wolf, despite Mia’s clamoring for more danger in the tales. When she goes off in disgust in search of ice cream, Gabriel realizes that he’s casting himself as the hero in only “very boring” stories. He slowly finds his bravery through storytelling, and, of course, they all live happily ever after. The bold, inventive illustrations carry the tale, with the two brown-skinned, curly-haired children encountering cute piglets, a fiery dragon, and a wolf with teeth “the size of T-rex teeth—if T. rex teeth were the size of mountains.” Despite a strong start and well-executed, poetic prose, the story itself drags a bit, as telling a story about boring stories leads to, well, a somewhat boring story. Despite this there are flashes of humor and kindness that a young audience will enjoy and learn from. (This book was reviewed digitally with 8.5-by-22-inch double-page spreads viewed at 19% of actual size.)
A tame attempt to rewrite and take control of familiar stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5253-0153-7
Page Count: 42
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: June 2, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2020
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience.
The How to Catch A… crew try for Comet.
Having already failed to nab a Halloween witch, the Easter Bunny, a turkey, a leprechaun, the Tooth Fairy, and over a dozen other iconic trophies in previous episodes of this bestselling series, one would think the racially diverse gaggle of children in Elkerton’s moonlit, wintry scenes would be flagging…but no, here they lay out snares ranging from a loop of garland to an igloo baited with reindeer moss to an enticing candy cane maze, all in hopes of snagging one of Santa’s reindeer while he’s busy delivering presents. Infused with pop culture–based Christmas cheer (“Now I’ve already seen the shelf with the elf”), Comet prances past the traps until it’s time to gather up the kids, most of whom look terrified, for a group snapshot with the other reindeer and then climb back into harness: “This was a great stop but a few million to go / Christmas Eve must continue with style!” Though festive, the verse feels trite and unlikely to entice youngsters. A sprinkling of “True Facts About Reindeer” (“They live in the tundra, where they have friends like the arctic bunny”) wrap up this celebration of the predatory spirit. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
These reindeer games are a bit tired but, given the series’ popularity, should have a large, ready-made audience. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Oct. 4, 2022
ISBN: 9781728276137
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 12, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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