by Lori Richmond ; illustrated by Lori Richmond ‧ RELEASE DATE: Feb. 27, 2018
Children whose parents travel frequently for their jobs are probably this book’s best audience, but others may get ideas for...
Bunny is very unhappy when his mother announces that she is going on a business trip.
Maybe he can accompany her, but Mama says her “business trip is just for grown-ups.” She leaves him with a five-day calendar with a red heart marking her return on Friday. Bunny is still upset at bedtime and wishes “we could go somewhere little bunnies can go, too.” This plaintive cry starts Papa’s creative juices flowing. Papa and Bunny make a cardboard car and visit a beach on Tuesday, a “wintry wonderland” on Wednesday, and a jungle on Thursday. After Bunny has a meltdown when he’s reminded of Mama, Papa suggests that they make a “welcome home sign,” but Bunny has his own thoughts. He and Papa transform the living room into “CAMP MAMA,” with cardboard trees, a pup tent, a fake fire, and lots of real marshmallows. These fully dressed white bunnies live in a suburban house. Its paintings and photos feature tall-eared rabbits (except for the child, whose short right ear sports a jaunty, purple paper crown). There’s even a concert poster for “Jimmy Bunnett.” The amusing, digitally finished ink-and-watercolor illustrations are more of a draw than the simple, brief text, and the recurring calendar emphasizes the days of the week.
Children whose parents travel frequently for their jobs are probably this book’s best audience, but others may get ideas for their own imaginary travels. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Feb. 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-545-92589-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Oct. 27, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 15, 2017
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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 11, 2023
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day.
In this picture book from pop star Kevin Jonas and his wife, TV personality Danielle Jonas, a rainy day forces a child to find an alternate way to enjoy the beach.
Family beach day is one of Bella’s favorite things. She loves splashing in the waves, jumping from rock to rock, and building sand castles. Today, however, the weather isn’t cooperating, but Bella isn’t upset. “It will just have to stop raining. That’s all.” Disappointment sets in when her family tells her that beach day is off. Teary Bella rejects suggested indoor pastimes like board games, musical jam sessions, or reading stories together, and she retreats to her room. Dejected, Bella consoles herself with her stuffed bunny, Mr. Bonkers, until her parents and sister, Emma, knock on her door with a surprise: “BEDROOM BEACH DAY!” With just a few household items—a big lamp for the sun, a fan for the ocean breeze, a blue blanket for water, and pillows for rocks—and a large dose of imagination, Bella’s bedroom is transformed. A flexible attitude from all helps Bella—and readers—realize that things may not always go as planned…but sometimes they can be even better than we expected. Whimsical, cartoonish drawings and a dialogue-driven narrative turn a setback into an uplifting family experience. Bella and her family are light-skinned. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
An upbeat tale with a much-needed message: Imagination and positivity can save the day. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: July 11, 2023
ISBN: 9780593352106
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
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by Margarita del Mazo ; illustrated by Silvia Álvarez ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 10, 2015
Too many bugs, figuratively.
Lucy, “the youngest member of a family of fireflies,” must overcome an irrational, moon-induced anxiety in order to leave her family tree trunk and glow.
The first six pages pull readers into a lush, beautiful world of nighttime: “When the sun has set, silence falls over the Big Forest, and all of the nighttime animals wake up.” Mixed media provide an enchanting forest background, with stylized flora and fauna eventually illuminated by a large, benign moon, because the night “doesn’t like to catch them by surprise.” Turning the page catches readers by surprise, though: the family of fireflies is decidedly comical and silly-looking. Similarly, the text moves from a lulling, magical cadence to a distinct shift in mood as the bugs ready themselves for their foray into the night: “They wave their bottoms in the air, wiggle their feelers, take a deep, deep breath, and sing, ‘Here we go, it’s time to glow!’ ” It’s an acceptable change, but more unevenness follows. Lucy’s excitement about finally joining the other bugs turns to “sobbing” two nights in a row. Instead of directly linking her behavior to understandable reactions of children to newness, the text undermines itself by making Lucy’s parents’ sweet reassurances impotent and using the grandmother’s scientific explanation of moonlight as an unnecessary metaphor. Further detracting from the story, the text becomes ever denser and more complex over the book’s short span.
Too many bugs, figuratively. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Nov. 10, 2015
ISBN: 978-84-16147-00-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
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