Inviting, sweet, and timely
A friendship story kicks off a brand-new chapter-book series.
Maddie and her best friend, bespectacled Emily, are two peas in a DIY pod. The two girls have a shared passion for crafting. Maddie is a pro with jewelry, and Emily has an affinity for wood crafts. All is well and right in the world for the girls until a new student, Bella Diaz, comes to Birding Creek Elementary and disrupts the equilibrium of their friendship. Emily seeks refuge in the art room and with a new, male friend, Sam, whose prowess with paint and pencil, as well as sage advice, is just what Emily needs to mend fences. Soon all four children are combining forces on a new project: creating a craft studio out of the old shed in Bella’s backyard. From coding to sewing, Emily, Maddie, and their new friends are fully engulfed in the STEAM and maker ethos of the moment. The simple text moves quickly and will readily engage other burgeoning makers, who are sure to find kindred spirits among the studio members, who are diverse culturally as well as by gender: Maddie is black, Emily is white, Bella is Latina, and Sam is South Asian, all communicated via illustrations and naming conventions. Yan’s illustrations add interest and context clues for early readers, and backmatter includes instructions on how to make a friendship bracelet of one’s own.
Inviting, sweet, and timely . (Fiction. 5-9)Pub Date: March 27, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-0908-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
Although commendable for its inspirational bent, this story flickers rather than shines.
A young Japanese American girl learns to believe in herself and take pride in her cultural heritage.
Keiko sometimes feels invisible and out of place. When overlooked by adults or treated unkindly by peers, she “remains steady like a tree” thanks to her family’s love. Watari highlights Keiko’s good qualities, such as her determination, strength, and kindness. Wu’s watercolor, ink, and digital artwork shows Keiko’s accomplishments, from averting a playground fight to teaching her peers about Japanese cultural traditions (such as the Obon festival) to winning over former bullies. We see her growth and journey from a child to an empowered adult, shining as both the president of the United States and a parent of her own child. Filled to the brim with affirmations, the narrative avoids difficult emotions except for one illustration showing Keiko with a frustrated look on her face as White ballet classmates taunt her from across the room. Unfortunately, the relentless positivity rings a bit hollow, and Keiko’s experiences and development are conveyed with little nuance. Although readers may enjoy searching each spread for symbols of the author’s heritage (origami cranes and Watari’s family crest), this one-note story falls short in a growing collection of confidence-boosting picture books for children. Background characters have a range of skin tones and body types. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Although commendable for its inspirational bent, this story flickers rather than shines. (author's note, glossary) (Picture book. 5-9)Pub Date: May 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5420-3153-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Two Lions
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2022
Charming and utterly delightful.
The doggie duo make a welcome return.
In this second entry in the Doggo and Pupper early-reader series, the canine pals’ distinctive personalities come more fully to the fore, and readers discover how close they truly are. Worrywart Pupper may be afraid of giant squirrels, but he longs to be a hero like Wonder Dog, whose exploits he marvels at on TV. He also has real drumming talent, nurtured by Doggo. Doggo is fully realized as a music-loving, tenderhearted, reassuring elder statesman who always has Pupper’s back. In this outing, the pair also enjoy watching the babies in a family of neighboring nesting birds learn to fly. The dog pals’ mutual interest in music, a concert the friends plan to attend in the local park, and a helpless fledgling who hasn’t quite found its wings and requires rescuing—all these plot points culminate in a heartwarming ending that delivers a wonderful message about patience, kindness, and selflessness. Doggo and Pupper may not actually save the world here, but they do offer up a lovely reading experience for emergent readers through simple, dialogue-laden prose that beginning readers should be able to master readily. As in the first series title, the colorful collage and digital illustrations are energetic and endearing. “Pupper’s Guide to Being a Hero,” a 10-step list with suggestions such as “Be helpful” and “Share what you have,” concludes the book. Seen only briefly, the dogs’ owners appear to be light-skinned.
Charming and utterly delightful. (Chapter book. 5-8)Pub Date: March 22, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-250-62100-9
Page Count: 96
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2022
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