There’s no substitute for nature (or Goodnight Moon). Skip this and go camping instead.
A Goodnight Moon for camping families.
“In the great outdoors / there was a forest floor / and a fading light / and a shadow of // a stand of pines over a campsite.” While this new version lacks the lyricism and simple rhythm of the original, it follows the classic’s pattern quite closely, saying goodnight to everything introduced, but then spoils it by following “Goodnight creatures everywhere” with two additional double-page spreads that find the text dribbling off with “Goodnight forest floor / and goodnight great outdoors.” Also echoing the format of the classic, the illustrations alternate double-page spreads of a sparse, almost prehistoric-looking forest near a lake with up-close vignettes. But the quality of the artwork in no way compares to the original. The various elements, including the family members, are merely cut and pasted from one page to the next save for a dragonfly readers can search for on each large spread. The final spread adds a bunch of new animals to the staid nighttime tent scene, and there’s a backmatter spread highlighting each one and providing a brief paragraph of facts. Every animal and human in the book has V-shaped lines denoting closed eyes. On reposing animals, these make it look like they are sleeping, but nocturnal animals midstep appear to be sleepwalking, and the family members are off in their own worlds, disconnected from one another. Myers portrays the humans as a family of color.
There’s no substitute for nature (or Goodnight Moon). Skip this and go camping instead. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 9, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-59193-888-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Adventure Publications
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2021
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
A muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground.
A little mouse experiences BIG changes thanks to a spectacular talent.
Dee’s a singer to her core. She croons absolutely everywhere, so when her teacher Miss Pink suggests that her students bring in something that symbolizes what they enjoy doing, Dee brings in a song. As she sings it, however, her joy causes her to physically grow huge! At first this makes her feel special, but as the day goes on she feels lonely and out of place. Shrinking back to her normal size, she worries that this means she can never sing again. But thanks to the encouragement of her mother and little sister, she realizes that being special is nothing to be ashamed of. However, though her classmates have skills of their own, only Dee changes, indicating that some talents are more transformative than others. After all, while everyone is enthralled by Dee, Ren the turtle’s talent for drawing a replica of a space station is something he “made everyone watch.” The true standout in this show comes from Sinquett’s dynamic art, capable of encompassing the emotional highs and lows of elementary school kids. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-07806-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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