Still, books that connect individuality, being beloved of God, and using one’s God-given talents are few and far between,...
Turner and Catrow celebrate the divine in each person.
“From the very beginning, amid history and time, / you, little one, never left God’s mind.” From facial expressions to the sound of one’s voice, God has it all planned out, according to Turner’s rhyming couplets. Each of us is unique and needed in the world for our God-given gifts; we are reflections of God and God’s hopes for us: that we will be kind, givers and dreamers even during hardships; that we will love one another, etc. Unfortunately, young children may have trouble getting these messages from Turner’s text. Words and word order are often chosen to suit the rhyme and rhythm rather than for understanding, and there is some advanced vocabulary: “ ’Cause God loves you creating, your true self displaying, / when light on the inside through art is portraying. / When you make-believe, the stories conceived, / the heroics, the magic, those tricks up your sleeve.” Catrow’s illustrations are delightful in their bright colors and expressive, brown-skinned protagonist. They take a flight of fancy when the text turns to gifts, however, depicting an extended sequence in which the young girl uses her artistic talents to uplift, the result being an overemphasis on the value of the visual arts over all other talents.
Still, books that connect individuality, being beloved of God, and using one’s God-given talents are few and far between, and with some adult support, this can help fill that gap. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Feb. 28, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-60142-918-6
Page Count: 48
Publisher: WaterBrook
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2017
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.
An angry child attempts to calm down.
A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217042142
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed.
Beep! Beep! Beep! Toad and Little Blue Truck get ready for a hayride.
After the titular vehicle is loaded with hay, Toad is nowhere to be found. “Beep! Beep! Beep! Where are you, Toad?” asks Little Blue Truck. All the barnyard animals look for him. Sheep searches the meadow. Goose and Duck check the pond. Others pitch in, too, but Toad seems to have disappeared…until Hen hears snoring coming from the pile of hay in the back of Little Blue Truck. Although the text’s scansion is imperfect in places (adults may want to pre-read to ensure a smooth read-aloud), the bouncy meter and rhyming text nevertheless capture the energy of the search and the farmyard community’s concern for Toad’s safety, making this a solid storytime choice. Eye-catching illustrations with rich, fully saturated colors balance the right level of detail while still highlighting the animal that is the focus of each verse. By introducing one farm animal at a time, Schertle also helps the youngest readers begin to identify barnyard animals by name and understand their unique farm homes. Traditional animal sounds are part of the text, and listeners will add them to their vocabulary. It all ends with the promised hayride, bringing the tale to a joyous ending.
Fun times, fond friends, and a festive farmyard setting—little ones will be charmed. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Aug. 18, 2026
ISBN: 9780063436121
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: July 20, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2026
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