The first two in Packard’s new Watch Me Grow series address first-day-of-school fears and the welcoming of a new baby.
When Little Wolf hears from his friends about what their older siblings have learned at school, he becomes afraid that he won’t be good at climbing, fishing or building and doesn’t want to go. But his mother gives him gentle reassurance that he doesn’t have to be the best at everything—school is for learning new things. And that turns out to be true. While he has fun, it is not until after lunch and Bunny goes missing that Little Wolf and his tracking nose truly shine. Unfortunately, a typo may leave readers scratching their heads over the gender of his friend Squirrel. Publishing simultaneously, Little Bear’s Baby Brother is the charming tale of an excited older sister who fashions the perfect gift for her new baby brother. And she’s not the only one to think so—the forest denizens each find her mobile and use it in their own turn, until it finally makes its way back to its intended recipient. McCue, now thoroughly well known for the furry likes of Cork and Fuzz, Quiet Bunny and Corduroy, brings readers a forest community of cute and cuddly characters, each brimming with personality. This series may remind readers of Paulette Bourgeois’ Franklin, though minus much of its didacticism.
Sweet and comforting, as intended. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-4027-7228-3
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2012
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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On hot summer nights, Amani’s parents permit her to go outside and play in the apartment courtyard, where the breeze is cool and her friends are waiting.
The children jump rope to the sounds of music as it floats through a neighbor’s window, gaze at stars in the night sky, and play hide-and-seek in the moonlight. It is in the moonlight that Amani and her friends are themselves found by the moon, and it illumines the many shades of their skin, which vary from light tan to deep brown. In a world where darkness often evokes ideas of evil or fear, this book is a celebration of things that are dark and beautiful—like a child’s dark skin and the night in which she plays. The lines “Show everyone else how to embrace the night like you. Teach them how to be a night-owning girl like you” are as much an appeal for her to love and appreciate her dark skin as they are the exhortation for Amani to enjoy the night. There is a sense of security that flows throughout this book. The courtyard is safe and homelike. The moon, like an additional parent, seems to be watching the children from the sky. The charming full-bleed illustrations, done in washes of mostly deep blues and greens, make this a wonderful bedtime story.
Vital messages of self-love for darker-skinned children. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: July 2, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-525-55271-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Dial Books
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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Berkner’s children’s song gets the picture-book treatment with illustrations from Garoche.
What kid hasn’t made a massive pillow fort and imagined all sorts of adventures? Well, Berkner’s premise is that there is a land where everything is made of pillows, and three lucky children get to visit there. (They appear to be siblings, perhaps a blended family: Mom and one girl are black; Dad, one boy, and one girl are white.) The illustrations transition between depictions of obvious imaginative play in a bedroom to a fantasy world and back again at the end, when the parents peek in at the three asleep. Garoche’s art consists of photos of papercut artwork arranged in dioramas with some Photoshop details. Reminiscent of Michael Garland’s work (though more pastel in color) or that of Elly McKay (though less ethereal), the illustrations are a mixed bag, with layers and hard edges juxtaposed against all the pillows. The king and queen of the song are obviously stand-ins for the parents. Children who know the tune may not sit still for a reading, while those who don’t may wonder at the repeated refrain.
For Berkner’s fans; there are much better books about children visiting imaginative lands. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-4814-6467-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Aug. 12, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2017
Categories: CHILDREN'S GENERAL CHILDREN'S
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