A gentle reminder when a bright spot is needed.
A little bunny learns to find strength during difficult times.
Co-written (with an assist from Wallace) by Dean, a Democratic Congresswoman from Pennsylvania, and her son, who have felt firsthand the impact of a substance-use disorder, the book expounds on love and resilience. In the sun-drenched first spread, a tiny rabbit and presumed parent figure cuddle together. “Sometimes you look around, and everything is bright and feels like love.” But then a storm blows through the forest, and the flop-eared tot is left alone. (The larger rabbit is seen hopping away, not turning back—a piercing image of abandonment.) Other woodland creatures appear, helping the bunny on a journey of self-discovery. “When you can’t stop the lightning or calm the crashing thunder, you can look inside your heart, where there’s hope.” An owl gives a ride over a swirling river: “Hope is a friend helping you soar above rough waters.” A deer helps the bunny up a steep slope: “Hope is a friend carrying you up mountains too hard to climb.” The rabbit pair is reunited when the storm passes, with the reassurance that love is always present. An author’s note lightly touches on Cunnane’s experience with addiction but acknowledges that difficult emotions are a part of everyone’s life in many different ways. (This book was reviewed digitally with 11-by-18-inch double-page spreads viewed at 23.6% of actual size.)
A gentle reminder when a bright spot is needed. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Feb. 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-30924-7
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK REVIEW
Sure to have little ones giggling.
Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”
Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.
Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781250814388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
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