Empowering.
Girls harness their anger to make positive change.
Midway through the 1962 classic A Wrinkle in Time, the late L’Engle writes: “‘Stay angry, little Meg,’ Mrs Whatsit whispered. ‘You will need all your anger now.’” Chan uses this quote as a rallying cry to inspire readers, dedicating this book “to all the Meg Murrys.” The opening spread features a group of girls diverse in terms of race and ability listening to a librarian read from L’Engle’s novel while a sign propped up on a nearby bookshelf states, “Books unite us, censorship divides us.” While the text is more exhortation than narrative, the digital illustrations suggest a wordless story that begins with two girls looking askance at a field filled with tree stumps enclosed by a fence bearing a sign that reads, “Park closed, mall coming soon!” and ends with an image of a newly created park and an inclusive community garden, a result of the girls using their anger for good. Along the way, the bold, cheerful illustrations depict girls researching deforestation at the library, marching in support of LGBTQ+ rights, staying curious (a girl using a wheelchair studies renewable energy), welcoming others (a girl in a hijab eating alone is invited to join other girls at lunch), singing, and playing. Chan reclaims the famous L’Engle quote—which was excised from the movie adaptation—and gives girls a full-throated endorsement to be true to themselves.
Empowering. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 6, 2024
ISBN: 9780374390839
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts.
In this latest slice in the Food Group series, Humble Pie learns to stand up to a busy friend who’s taking advantage of his pal’s hard work on the sidelines.
Jake the Cake and Humble Pie are good friends. Where Pie is content to toil in the background, Jake happily shines in the spotlight. Alert readers will notice that Pie’s always right there, too, getting A-pluses and skiing expertly just behind—while also doing the support work that keeps every school and social project humming. “Fact: Nobody notices pie when there’s cake nearby!” When the two friends pair up for a science project, things begin well. But when the overcommitted Jake makes excuse after excuse, showing up late or not at all, a panicked Pie realizes that they won’t finish in time. When Jake finally shows up on the night before the project’s due, Pie courageously confronts him. “And for once, I wasn’t going to sugarcoat it.” The friends talk it out and collaborate through the night for the project’s successful presentation in class the next day. John and Oswald’s winning recipe—plentiful puns and delightful visual jokes—has yielded another treat here. The narration does skew didactic as it wraps up: “There’s nothing wrong with having a tough conversation, asking for help, or making sure you’re being treated fairly.” But it’s all good fun, in service of some gentle lessons about social-emotional development.
A flavorful call to action sure to spur young introverts. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2025
ISBN: 9780063469730
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share.
In this latest in the series, Little Blue Truck, driven by pal Toad, is challenged to a countryside race by Racer Red, a sleek, low-slung vehicle.
Blue agrees, and the race is on. Although the two start off “hood to hood / and wheel to wheel,” they switch positions often as they speed their way over dusty country roads. Blue’s farm friends follow along to share in the excitement and shout out encouragement; adult readers will have fun voicing the various animal sounds. Short rhyming verses on each page and several strategic page turns add drama to the narrative, but soft, mottled effects in the otherwise colorful illustrations keep the competition from becoming too intense. Racer Red crosses the finish line first, but Blue is a gracious loser, happy to have worked hard. That’s a new concept for Racer Red, who’s laser-focused on victory but takes Blue’s words (“win or lose, it’s fun to try!”) to heart—a revelation that may lead to worthwhile storytime discussions. When Blue’s farm animal friends hop into the truck for the ride home, Racer Red tags along and learns a second lesson, one about speed. “Fast is fun, / and slow is too, / as long as you’re / with friends.”
A friendship tale with solid messaging and plenty of fun sounds to share. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 25, 2025
ISBN: 9780063387843
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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