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TANGLE-KNOT

Name: TANGLE-KNOT
Author: Loretta Ellsworth
ISBN: 9781645677130

by Loretta Ellsworth ; illustrated by Annabel Tempest ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2023

A fantastical but flawed fairy tale.

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A young girl has a bird’s-nest ’do.

Fia “refuses to brush her hair,” much to her mom’s consternation. A gray bird soon takes up residence in the White-presenting girl’s scraggly, bushy coiffure. Soon the bird lays eggs—one red, one yellow, and one blue—in Fia’s “tangle-knot nest,” attracting attention, some of it judgmental but most of it encouraging, from others, including a TV crew. Fia takes good care of the nest, refusing to wash her hair in order to keep it safe, and eventually the eggs hatch into red, yellow, and blue birds. When the birds leave, Fia finally decides that it’s time for a new style, to her mother’s relief, and her shorn tangle-knot becomes a tree-bound nest. This could be a very relatable story for any child who hates running a comb through frizzy knots or who longs to have a live-in pet (or four), but the prose gets bogged down by unnecessary dialogue tags and written descriptions that are better shown through the jaunty, energetic illustrations. However, it also raises thought-provoking questions about whether a child of color would receive the same admiration if they showed up to school with an unkempt head of hair, and many children will likely get distracted wondering where the birds go to the bathroom. Fia’s mother presents White; the supporting cast is diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A fantastical but flawed fairy tale. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 6, 2023

ISBN: 9781645677130

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Page Street

Review Posted Online: March 28, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ANIMALS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S HEALTH & DAILY LIVING

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UNFORGETTABLE
by Loretta Ellsworth

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IN SEARCH OF MOCKINGBIRD
by Loretta Ellsworth

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

- BOOK REVIEW
A PERFECT PLACE TO PLAY
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

- BOOK REVIEW
ON THE FIRST DAY OF FIRST GRADE
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

- BOOK REVIEW
FIVE LITTLE BUNNIES
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)