by Leila Boukarim ; illustrated by Barbara Moxham ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 7, 2019
Hard to follow and likely to leave readers cold.
A white Christmas is a dream come true for Jack—or is it?
Jack has a snow globe that seems to hold his vision of an ideal Christmas setting. The snowy landscape with three evergreen trees contrasts with the tropical place where Jack lives with his family. “Where Jack lived, Christmas was never white,” reads an early spread depicting Jack and his parents outside near large trees, a parrot sitting on a branch, and a dog panting in the heat. Without any explanation, the setting suddenly changes to depict a snowstorm outside as text reads, “One magical Christmas Eve… / Jack’s wish came true!” Is this a dream? Did the snow globe on the table somehow instigate the change in weather? Why does Jack have a long, white-and-red muffler in this warm climate? Such essential plot points go unexplained as Jack ventures outside to play in the winter wonderland. He enjoys himself until he realizes he’s all alone, and then he returns home. Somehow, dumping out the water and snow from his snow globe causes his family to reappear and the landscape to return to its warm, tropical state, affirming that “a warm Christmas is the best kind of Christmas there is.” Jack and his family present white. Instructions for a DIY snow globe follow.
Hard to follow and likely to leave readers cold. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 7, 2019
ISBN: 978-981-4828-29-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Marshall Cavendish
Review Posted Online: July 27, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2019
Share your opinion of this book
More by Leila Boukarim
BOOK REVIEW
by Leila Boukarim ; illustrated by Sona Avedikian
BOOK REVIEW
by Leila Boukarim ; illustrated by Alex Lopez
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Kevin Jonas
BOOK REVIEW
by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
by Todd Tarpley ; illustrated by Stephanie Laberis ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 14, 2023
Slapstick fun for any season.
Sometimes the holidays get messy.
When a light-skinned leprechaun—complete with red beard and clover-adorned hat—appears at the end of a rainbow on a hill dotted with tulips, he’s all set to bury his gold…until the Easter Bunny hops over in a huff. The leprechaun is digging up all the tulips where the bunny was planning to hide his eggs. Their argument escalates, and readers will be reminded of Looney Tunes battles between Bugs Bunny and Daffy Duck as each employs more and more outrageous traps and tricks to humiliate the other. The duo keep the fight up until a new visitor arrives; although St. Valentine’s Day has passed, a plump, light-skinned Cupid is ready to start planning for next year—allowing the two to join forces against a common enemy. The text is told in rhyming stanzas: “ ‘Gold!’ cried the bunny, / but when he bent over, / the leprechaun pushed him / facedown in the clover!” It’s not Shakespeare, but it moves the plot along. The digital illustrations are riotously funny, and the final image of the three spring holiday mascots scowling at one another, having reached an uneasy friendship, will have readers giggling all year long. Skilled storytellers will enjoy hamming up the action as the characters attempt to assert their dominance over their hillside home. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Slapstick fun for any season. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Feb. 14, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-316-37426-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Nov. 28, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Todd Tarpley
BOOK REVIEW
by Todd Tarpley ; illustrated by Sophie Leu
BOOK REVIEW
by Todd Tarpley ; illustrated by Jared Chapman
BOOK REVIEW
by Todd Tarpley ; illustrated by Vin Vogel
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
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.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.