“Splendiferous” may be an overstatement, but this book on being yourself is suitable for youngsters.
An exuberant invitation for children to express themselves, however they choose.
Kids of different skin tones, hair textures, and outfits frolic through a candy-colored world as rhyming couplets extol self-determination: “I can be everything I want to be. / I can be all of magnificent me!” Though gender isn’t explicitly mentioned, many affirmations challenge dominant cultural gender norms around activities and feelings. In one scene, all the children wear pink tutus. In another, the narrator states that they can “ask for a hug / when I’m trembling with fright.” An illustrator’s note at the beginning of the book asks readers not to make “assumptions about who any of these kids are. They are who they are, and they are everything they want to be.” The characters play with race cars, sing lullabies to dolls, and pummel pillows to vent frustration. With no characters gendered in the text, the conversation about “who any of these kids are” is left as a more open-ended question. In the end, the kids conclude, “I am splendiferous… / and so are YOU!” The simplicity of the book’s upbeat couplets, paired with illustrator Gonzalez’s whimsical art, will appeal to some. However, the characters’ doll-like faces vary little in their countenance, dampening the message around fully experiencing emotions and the overall atmosphere of the story. In a growing field of picture books about self-expression, this one doesn’t stand out. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
“Splendiferous” may be an overstatement, but this book on being yourself is suitable for youngsters. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 9781643792057
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Lee & Low Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023
A disappointing follow-up.
Inventor Izzy Gizmo is back in this sequel to her eponymous debut (2017).
While busily inventing one day, Izzy receives an invitation from the Genius Guild to their annual convention. Though Izzy’s “inventions…don’t always work,” Grandpa (apparently her sole caregiver) encourages her to go. The next day they undertake a long journey “over fields, hills, and waves” and “mile after mile” to isolated Technoff Isle. There, Izzy finds she must compete against four other kids to create the most impressive machine. The colorful, detail-rich illustrations chronicle how poor Izzy is thwarted at every turn by Abi von Lavish, a Veruca Salt–esque character who takes all the supplies for herself. But when Abi abandons her project, Izzy salvages the pieces and decides to take Grandpa’s advice to create a machine that “can really be put to good use.” A frustrated Izzy’s impatience with a friend almost foils her chance at the prize, but all’s well that ends well. There’s much to like: Brown-skinned inventor girl Izzy is an appealing character, it’s great to see a nurturing brown-skinned male caregiver, the idea of an “Invention Convention” is fun, and a sustainable-energy invention is laudable. However, these elements don’t make up for rhymes that often feel forced and a lackluster story.
A disappointing follow-up. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-68263-164-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Peachtree
Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2020
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their...
Ruby is an adventurous and happy child until the day she discovers a Worry.
Ruby barely sees the Worry—depicted as a blob of yellow with a frowny unibrow—at first, but as it hovers, the more she notices it and the larger it grows. The longer Ruby is affected by this Worry, the fewer colors appear on the page. Though she tries not to pay attention to the Worry, which no one else can see, ignoring it prevents her from enjoying the things that she once loved. Her constant anxiety about the Worry causes the bright yellow blob to crowd Ruby’s everyday life, which by this point is nearly all washes of gray and white. But at the playground, Ruby sees a boy sitting on a bench with a growing sky-blue Worry of his own. When she invites the boy to talk, his Worry begins to shrink—and when Ruby talks about her own Worry, it also grows smaller. By the book’s conclusion, Ruby learns to control her Worry by talking about what worries her, a priceless lesson for any child—or adult—conveyed in a beautifully child-friendly manner. Ruby presents black, with hair in cornrows and two big afro-puff pigtails, while the boy has pale skin and spiky black hair.
A valuable asset to the library of a child who experiences anxiety and a great book to get children talking about their feelings (. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-5476-0237-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: May 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2019
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