An adventure that may help young readers find their own inner strength in the face of adversity—and spark their interest in...
A bear who enjoys gathering and categorizing stones deals with a bully in Parks’ (Pocketmouse at Crystal Cove, 2016) rhyming adventure with illustrations by Karron (Swirl Spirits, 2016, etc.).
Berto isn’t like the other black bears at Yosemite National Park. For one thing, he’s “ghastly afraid / Of climbing the cliffs where other bears played.” But he’s a happy youngster who loves collecting rocks, and he has an official permit from the national park to do so. He particularly likes grouping them into their types: sedimentary, igneous, and metamorphic. Unfortunately, being different makes Berto a target for a bully bear named Buck. As Berto hides from his nemesis, he enjoys spying on ranger-led groups of humans; one of the best illustrations shows Berto looking in at a group of predominantly African-American hikers sitting around a campfire, with deer just beyond the shadows and a full sky of stars visible through the trees. When Berto returns home, he finds that Buck has torn apart his carefully labeled rock collection. Inspired by the ranger’s talk on real-life naturalist John Muir and his encounter with some particularly tough granite, Berto confronts Buck and stares him down. Later, when Buck gets stuck in a crevice, no one wants to help him, but Berto, who’s always feared climbing, decides to help his former enemy—if Buck promises to change his ways. Early on, Parks breezes through the science-based introduction in a way that will be accessible to young readers, showing not only the three major divisions of rocks, but also representatives of each type and the places where one might encounter them at Yosemite. Berto’s character development from fearful bear to brave rescuer is convincing, and although the opportunity to rescue Buck is too convenient, it can be forgiven for the sake of the tale. Parks’ stanzas also scan well, and with the exception of one oddly disproportionate illustration, Karron’s art is captivating and delightful.
An adventure that may help young readers find their own inner strength in the face of adversity—and spark their interest in geology as well.Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943172-01-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nature Tale Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 7, 2017
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Essential.
A guidebook for taking action against racism.
The clear title and bold, colorful illustrations will immediately draw attention to this book, designed to guide each reader on a personal journey to work to dismantle racism. In the author’s note, Jewell begins with explanations about word choice, including the use of the terms “folx,” because it is gender neutral, and “global majority,” noting that marginalized communities of color are actually the majority in the world. She also chooses to capitalize Black, Brown, and Indigenous as a way of centering these communities’ voices; "white" is not capitalized. Organized in four sections—identity, history, taking action, and working in solidarity—each chapter builds on the lessons of the previous section. Underlined words are defined in the glossary, but Jewell unpacks concepts around race in an accessible way, bringing attention to common misunderstandings. Activities are included at the end of each chapter; they are effective, prompting both self-reflection and action steps from readers. The activities are designed to not be written inside the actual book; instead Jewell invites readers to find a special notebook and favorite pen and use that throughout. Combining the disruption of common fallacies, spotlights on change makers, the author’s personal reflections, and a call to action, this powerful book has something for all young people no matter what stage they are at in terms of awareness or activism.
Essential. (author’s note, further reading, glossary, select bibliography) (Nonfiction. 10-18)Pub Date: Jan. 7, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-7112-4521-1
Page Count: 160
Publisher: Frances Lincoln
Review Posted Online: Sept. 14, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2019
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