An opening for parent-child pairs to use their own imaginations to see where love will take them.
A father’s lullaby to his young son imagines his affection in figurative language.
“If my love were an elephant, / it would stomp from tree to tree. / And if my love were a great blue whale, / it would splash across the sea.” From a rocket ship blasting off and a marching band whose drums “crash and boom” to a bucking bronco and a lion’s thundering roar, the text describes where and how this dad’s love for his son might manifest. The boldly colored mixed-media illustrations show the duo (both pale-skinned and black-haired) in each situation: knights in armor roasting marshmallows behind a shield that protects them from a dragon’s fiery breath or divers discovering a treasure chest on the ocean floor. Most of the rhymes scan well, though the text ends rather suddenly: “If my love were a firework, / it would blast long past this song. // And if my love were a big bear hug, / it would snuggle you all night long.” The visual here is much more satisfying than the words, as the two are fast asleep, smiles on their faces, child lying atop father, each with an arm around the other. Readers are likely to wish for the music to go with the verses.
An opening for parent-child pairs to use their own imaginations to see where love will take them. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: April 18, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-101-93740-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Doubleday
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers.
The team of Costain and Lovšin (Daddies are Awesome, 2016) gives moms their due.
Rhyming verses tell of all the ways moms are amazing: “Mommies are magic. / They kiss away troubles… // …find gold in the sunlight / and rainbows in bubbles.” Moms are joyful—the best playmates. They are also fearless and will protect and soothe if you are scared. Clever moms know just what to do when you’re sad, sporty moms run and leap and climb, while tender moms cuddle. “My mommy’s so special. / I tell her each day… // … just how much I love her / in every way!” Whereas dads were illustrated with playful pups and grown-up dogs in the previous book, moms are shown as cats with their kittens in myriad colors, sizes, and breeds. Lovšin’s cats look as though they are smiling at each other in their fun, though several spreads are distractingly cut in half by the gutter. However delightful the presentation—the verse rolls fairly smoothly, and the cats are pretty cute—the overall effect is akin to a cream puff’s: very sweet and insubstantial.
A $16.99 Mother’s Day card for cat lovers. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: April 4, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-62779-651-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Henry Holt
Review Posted Online: March 19, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2017
A useful primer for socioemotional growth.
Queer Eye star Karamo Brown and his son Jason “Rachel” Brown affirm that all feelings—even negative ones—are OK.
A round-faced boy with brown skin, big brown eyes, and a bright smile walks outside, talking with his dad about feelings. With the son’s speech printed in blue and Dad’s in black, the boy announces that he’s happy and shows it by jumping and spinning while Dad dances. The book’s palette, which often reflects the boy’s emotional state, shifts drastically when a thunderstorm blows in as the sky swirls with patterns in deep blue and purple, and a thick yellow lightning bolt blasts through—a dramatic scene that represents the boy’s perception of the turbulent weather as he sits on the ground crying, hugging his knees. Dad assures him that it’s all right to feel and express fear and helps him calm these negative emotions by encouraging him to stretch and breathe deeply. While the book’s lesson is conveyed in a slightly heavy-handed manner, it’s a good message, and readers will appreciate seeing a story that centers a Black father and son dispelling the stereotype that men and boys—especially those of color—don’t or shouldn’t express emotions. The backmatter includes an emotion wheel with the boy showing a range of facial expressions, accompanied by activities and questions. The acronym “FEEL OKAY” offers opportunities to practice discussing emotions. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A useful primer for socioemotional growth. (authors’ note) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 8, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-63893-010-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Zando
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
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