Gentle and heartwarming.
A child struggles with feelings of sadness.
An unseen narrator repeats the title phrase to underscore a family’s fatigue. “At the end of the day, sometimes everyone is exhausted. Or bored. Or in a mood.” There’s homework to be done or piano lessons to attend. There’s often no time to play outside, especially if it’s too cold. And don’t forget chores. Even a seemingly small disappointment, like a missing puzzle piece, hangs over the family like a dark cloud. Briefly, though, such as during a family bike ride, things seems OK. What’s going on? The clues are there if readers carefully observe Bontigao’s cozy, digital illustrations. Dad and the children are engaged in a variety of activities, but Mom is absent. Readers eventually realize that she’s far away and sorely missed, seen only on a video call in her military uniform. For she is the missing puzzle piece. When she returns, the family’s emotions pour out, and all is right with their world, now filled with reassuring, comforting sights and sounds and lots of kisses and hugs. The lyrical text is paired with tender visuals that primarily focus on one of the children, who’s by turn confused, sad, and hopeful—and whose situation will elicit commiseration and compassion, especially from other kids in military families. Dad presents Asian, while Mom is brown-skinned, and the children vary in skin tone.
Gentle and heartwarming. (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: April 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780593378632
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2024
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
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