BELLA'S FALL COAT

Name: BELLA'S FALL COAT
Author: Lynn Plourde
ISBN: 978-1-4847-2697-6

by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Susan Gal ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 6, 2016

Adults may feel nostalgia over seasons past—and young readers will be introduced to the enticing lure of autumn and the joys...

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An exuberant girl leaps into the joys of seasonal change with her loving grandmother.

Bella is growing, but she wants things to last forever, such as the crunchy autumn leaves, the geese that fill the sky, and especially her beloved old coat. Whenever Grams kindly mentions the need for a new coat, there’s a “WHOOSH,” “WHIZZ,” or “ZOOM” as the ruddy-complexioned child sprints out the door to play in the natural world. Each trip outside brings delight; each return, the opportunity to bond with Grams. Plourde’s lovely text about the ephemeral nature of objects and seasons—and the lasting love of family—is beautifully realized by Gal’s expressive, digital collage illustrations. Vibrant and spontaneous, they recall Keats and Isadora. Cleverly, she contrasts the cool blue tones of the girl’s outfit against the autumn-colored orange of fall, then flops the contrast as the seasons change. Bella’s joie de vivre emanates from the page, her wavy, often wild, blue-black hair a perfect extension of its vivacious owner. But Gal also captures the tender, quiet moments: Grams asleep under the warm glow of a lamp, the new coat she’s made in her lap, and the loving twosome walking hand in hand under a pink, purple dusky sky.

Adults may feel nostalgia over seasons past—and young readers will be introduced to the enticing lure of autumn and the joys of sharing it with someone they love . (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 6, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-4847-2697-6

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

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by Lynn Plourde

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by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Mike Lowery

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THE BOY WHOSE FACE FROZE LIKE THAT
by Lynn Plourde ; illustrated by Russ Cox

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OUR FAVORITE DAY

by Joowon Oh ; illustrated by Joowon Oh ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 3, 2019

A quietly charming debut.

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Patience brews a wonderful reunion for this grandfather.

A contented elderly gentleman, portrayed in inviting watercolor-painted paper collages in a bold color palette, goes through his daily routine. “Every morning, Papa wakes up and drinks some tea. / He waters his plants and tidies up.” Sparse narration accompanies Papa as he heads into town via bus. While he window shops, he is inspired by the display in the window of a local craft store before going to enjoy “his favorite lunch—dumplings!” The bright art is the primary driver propelling the story forward. The simple layout reads like a graphic novel, with linear panels on most pages. The quaint visuals illustrate each movement Papa makes on the following day, picking up craft supplies—“Ah, must be Thursday!” the cashier muses—getting dumplings to go, and picking wildflowers in anticipation. The special event arrives in the form of an adorable pink-trimmed grandchild with brown hair tied up in pigtails. Dialogue between Papa and the child takes over the narration as they enjoy a shared favorite lunch of dumplings, wash dishes, then create a butterfly kite, finishing with a floral flourish. All characters have pale skin, allowing readers to see a variety of identities, including Asian, biracial, and/or white. The deliberate, methodical pace is reminiscent of Mr. Rogers’, ideal for young readers outlining every action of each endearing character.

A quietly charming debut. (Picture book. 3-5)

Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-5362-0357-8

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: June 15, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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SARANG SAVES THE SCHOOL
by Korena Di Roma Howley ; illustrated by Joowon Oh

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LUCKY DOGS
by Joowon Oh ; illustrated by Joowon Oh

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THE OLD SLEIGH

by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey ; illustrated by Jarrett Pumphrey & Jerome Pumphrey ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 4, 2025

A thought-provoking tale of growth and change.

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The Pumphrey brothers bring their now-signature style to this tale of an old sleigh that, like the vehicles in The Old Truck (2020) and The Old Boat (2021) before it, works hard in a changing world.

As the story opens, readers see a Black-presenting child and parent chopping firewood and loading it into a horse-drawn sleigh against a snowy landscape. “In a small town,” we learn, “an old sleigh gave all it took.” Parent and child deliver the firewood throughout the town, making it “merry and bright.” But the small town grows bigger, and the old sleigh’s wooden body begins to break down. The industrious child turns some of its planks into a new sled and uses it to deliver smaller loads of firewood. In the final pages, readers see that the child’s parent has repaired the old sleigh, which the child, older now, uses to deliver firewood in the “small city” that has sprung up. Some readers may be left with questions: Is the figure driving the sleigh at book’s close the child, now all grown up? And can a city really spring up that fast? On the whole, though, the narrative beguiles as sleigh and sled haul their loads from verso to recto across each scene. The community’s buildings stand out against the snow in reds, greens, and mustards, and the simple and rhythmic text charms.

A thought-provoking tale of growth and change. (Picture book. 4-8)