It’s an unassuming, sweet story, and sometimes that’s enough.
A timid hedgehog named Hal runs an impromptu race with his group of animal friends.
Ava, a spunky sheep, comes up with the idea for the race, with a course going uphill and then curving down to the finish line. Hal is worried about his short legs and slow speed, and he’s afraid the others will laugh at him if he comes in last. He reluctantly joins in and predictably falls far behind the other runners. At the top of the hill, Hal curls up in a ball and says a short prayer asking God to “help me be proud of the things I am good at.” By curling up in a ball, Hal rolls downhill to the finish line, coming in second. The short, simple story emphasizes accepting and overcoming both physical and emotional fear, and the final line is a succinct, refreshing alternative to the conventional resolution, in which the main character wins first prize. Hal just “did his best and it was enough.” Bold, cartoon-style illustrations feature appealing, bug-eyed animals and commendable attention to matching the characters’ positions within compositions to their featured order in the text. The brief prayer as part of the plot makes this most suitable for libraries in religious settings or for families who wish to integrate religion into family reading. Companion title Happy Birthday, Ava! publishes simultaneously.
It’s an unassuming, sweet story, and sometimes that’s enough. (author’s note) (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-5064-1789-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sparkhouse
Review Posted Online: March 28, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, colorful start for a Christian spiritual journey.
A cheery child gives thanks to God.
“When I see a rainbow / High up in the sky / I say a little prayer of thanks, / And here’s the reason why: // Because God loves me!” This board book’s focus is the comforting notion that God loves all his children, and no matter what, he will always look out for them. The text follows an ABCB rhyme scheme, breaking after every stanza to repeat the phrase “Because God loves me!” The small, light-skinned child has spiky brown hair and wears a dress; both the child and a chubby accompanying dog are appealingly illustrated with a bright, simple color palette and scratchy lines that appear to have been made with colored pencil. God is the only name given for the deity, implying a primarily Christian audience. The book’s message is clear, and its construction is sturdy, suiting this well to parents who are beginning to have conversations with their little readers regarding their beliefs.
A sweet, colorful start for a Christian spiritual journey. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-58925-237-0
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Tiger Tales
Review Posted Online: Nov. 13, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable
A mouse searches for and finally finds her missing Seder plate.
Pippa is an industrious house-cleaning mouse. And no wonder—Passover is starting this very evening. Dusting and sweeping finished, she turns her attention to setting the table as a pot of chicken stew bubbles away on the stovetop. But there is one very important object that is missing: the “special Seder plate.” Frantically, the mouse searches through boxes and cupboards and finally ventures into the yard. First she encounters a very large cat and asks if it has seen the plate. “No,” answers the cat and points her to a snake, who sends her to an owl, who directs her to Golda Fish, prettily swimming in the water. Success! Kirkfield’s little tale is written in rhyming couplets with much repetition of “QUIVER! QUAVER! SHIVER! SHAKE!” for emphasis with each interaction with a predator, so readers will be mightily puzzled when the formerly frightful critters join Pippa at the holiday table. Weber’s gouache, crayon, and collage illustrations are sweetly pretty. The final illustration features a Seder plate with transliterated Hebrew and an English translation of the components. Readers familiar with the holiday may find this mildly enjoyable, but others will likely want and need more information.
In the end too much is left unanswered, making this book pleasant but only passable . (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Feb. 12, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-8234-4162-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Holiday House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 11, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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