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SHU LIN'S GRANDPA

Name: SHU LIN'S GRANDPA
Author: Matt Goodfellow
ISBN: 978-1-5362-2315-6

by Matt Goodfellow ; illustrated by Yu Rong ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 13, 2022

Empathetic but subtle storytelling.

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Being the new kid isn’t easy.

Shu Lin, in her bright yellow rain boots and pink coat, arrives at school. “She didn’t speak English very well,” readers are informed. At recess, she stands at the edge of the playground despite an invite to jump rope. At lunch, stares continue as Shu Lin unpacks her lunch. Narrator Dylan, who was also the new kid once, remembers that feeling of not being at home while observing the interactions between Shu Lin and the other kids. When Shu Lin’s grandpa arrives in class one day to share his paintings, some students are skeptical. Barney, who throughout offers especially pointed remarks about Shu Lin, asks, “What’s the point if he can’t even speak English?” But Shu Lin’s grandpa’s art speaks volumes. When he leaves, the students try their hands at their own ink drawings. Here, Shu Lin opens up, showing her inexperienced classmates how to hold a brush properly and how to make smooth strokes. By the end of the school day, classmates share smiles and laughs. This is a simple narrative that leaves a quiet impression. Yu's selective use of solid colors and pattern-blocking among the sketched-drawing style brings focus to specific characters and their expressions. A gatefold of Shu Lin’s grandpa’s inky landscape painting invites readers into the classroom alongside the characters. Shu Lin and her grandfather are cued Chinese; other students, including Dylan and Barney, are depicted as light-skinned.

Empathetic but subtle storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2022

ISBN: 978-1-5362-2315-6

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Candlewick

Review Posted Online: July 12, 2022

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2022

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: June 21, 2016

ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.

First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)