This sweet, humorous story respects and encourages children’s emotional intelligence.
When he realizes a little rain cloud is following him around, Sebastian responds by carrying an umbrella everywhere.
Sebastian is inside his home when he notices the cloud. He finds a large, red umbrella to carry around to protect himself from rain. The umbrella covers his head and shoulders completely and so keeps him dry, but it also keeps him from playing games, meeting new friends, talking to people, or even seeing the sky. One day, while playing kick-the-acorn in the park, Sebastian encounters a girl lying in the grass reading a book. She invites him to see a comet, but he says he can’t because of his umbrella. She asks why he is carrying an umbrella when it’s a sunny day with not a cloud in the sky—and indeed, even his little gray cloud has disappeared. Sebastian can finally put his umbrella away and look at the sky with a new friend. The book’s opening holds potential for both humor and profundity, and whichever line pulls the reader in will not disappoint. Curiosity and suspense propel the narrative, and the sudden change in circumstance invites readers to consider what roles feelings and relationships play in Sebastian’s environment. Crisp, simple illustrations show Sebastian, who is White (as is his new friend), in a variety of settings, with compositions that highlight key moments in his journey.
This sweet, humorous story respects and encourages children’s emotional intelligence. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: June 1, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-772290-52-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simply Read Books
Review Posted Online: April 13, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2021
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen.
Words addressed to children aimed at truth-telling, encouraging, and inspiring are accompanied by pictures of children of color going about their days.
“This story is about you,” the narrator opens, as a black boy looks up toward readers, a listening expression on his face. A multiracial group of children romp in a playground to encouraging words: “you are… / a dancer / a singer / in charge of the game.” Then comes a warning about the “whispers” out in the world that “tell you who you are / But only you and love decide.” There is advice about what to do when you “think there is nowhere safe”: “Watch a bird soar / and think, / Me too.” It asks readers to wonder: “If there was a sign on your chest / what would it say?” Children argue and show frustration and anger for reasons unclear to readers, then they hold up signs about themselves, such as “I am powerful” and “I am talented.” A girl looks hurt, and a boy looks “tough” until someone finds them “sitting there wondering / when the sky will blue.” While the words are general, the pictures specify a teacher, who is brown-skinned with straight black hair, as one who “can see you.” While young readers may find the wording unusual, even obscure in places, the nurturing message will not be lost.
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68446-021-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
Energetic and encouraging.
Gordon, a teen artist and activist who in 2020 went viral for his painting of then–Vice President–elect Kamala Harris, draws from his own experiences for this story of a child who uses art to express himself.
Tyler’s words always get “STUCK.” “Long words. Short words. Silly words. All words.” In his head, Tyler can speak “loudly” and “proudly,” tell knock-knock jokes, and “even reveal the real reason why that chicken crossed the road.” Yet in reality, “his tongue [gets] tied, and his words just [won’t] come out right,” a predicament vividly expressed via tangled scrawls and a spread depicting Tyler with a long, loop-laced tongue. Still, Tyler won’t give up. His mother encourages him, and together they paint and practice saying “short words, long words, silly words” to describe their work. But at school, his stutter makes it hard for Tyler to find friends; kids stare and laugh when he stammers during show and tell. Again, his mother reassures him. Her ability to understand his paintings, even when they’re imperfect, gives Tyler an idea. At the next show and tell, Tyler proudly unveils his self-portrait…and his audience goes “WILD!” Rhythmic, rhyming, and repeated phrases give the text strong read-aloud appeal; Gordon’s animated, endearing cartoon illustrations readily convey Tyler’s apprehension, determination, and joy. An author’s note explains that Gordon was born deaf and acquired a stutter after undergoing surgery to improve his hearing. Tyler and his mom are Black; his classmates are diverse.
Energetic and encouraging. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2024
ISBN: 9780374389673
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: April 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 15, 2024
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