A delightful prompt to follow your bliss.
Raised to be part of her family’s traveling show, a plucky penguin yearns for a career change, but will she disappoint her parents?
All of Poppy’s family have been performers for generations, passing down their skills from “penguin to penguin,” and Poppy has always been part of the family shows. Intent on making her parents proud, Poppy forces herself to master the “trickiest of tricks” and soon wins audience admiration with her daring acts. Unfortunately, Poppy’s heart just isn’t in performing, especially the loud noise, bright lights, and crowds. She wants to do something where she can “feel calm…and in control” but dreads telling her mother she wants a change. Taking a break from performing, however, Poppy realizes she misses the costumes, the music, and the magic. Then Poppy has an “amazing idea”: She can perform a different role in the family show that will use her skills and make everyone happy. Executed in black outlines and color washes, the bustling, cheery, action-packed illustrations of bevies of penguins practicing and performing splendid circus tricks in single and double-page spreads clearly steal this show. In her huge red glasses, Poppy’s a visual standout, whether balanced atop a penguin pyramid, launched from a trapeze, shot from a cannon, strapped to a knife-throwing board, or just happily organizing the whole operation.
A delightful prompt to follow your bliss. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Feb. 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-84365-483-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Pavilion Children's
Review Posted Online: Dec. 14, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2021
BOOK REVIEW
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it.
What happens when a robot washes up alone on an island?
“Everything was just right on the island.” Brown beautifully re-creates the first days of Roz, the protagonist of his Wild Robot novels, as she adapts to living in the natural world. A storm-tossed ship, seen in the opening just before the title page, and a packing crate are the only other human-made objects to appear in this close-up look at the robot and her new home. Roz emerges from the crate, and her first thought as she sets off up a grassy hill—”This must be where I belong”—is sweetly glorious, a note of recognition rather than conquest. Roz learns to move, hide, and communicate like the creatures she meets. When she discovers an orphaned egg—and the gosling Brightbill, who eventually hatches—her decision to be his mother seems a natural extension of her adaptation. Once he flies south for the winter, her quiet wait across seasons for his return is a poignant portrayal of separation and change. Brown’s clean, precise lines and deep, light-filled colors offer a sense of what Roz might be seeing, suggesting a place that is alive yet deeply serene and radiant. Though the book stands alone, it adds an immensely appealing dimension to Roz’s world. Round thumbnails offer charming peeks into the island world, depicting Roz’s animal neighbors and Brightbill’s maturation.
A hymn to the intrinsic loveliness of the wild and the possibility of sharing it. (author’s note) (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: June 24, 2025
ISBN: 9780316669467
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 22, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2025
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
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