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A GARDEN IN MY HANDS

Name: A GARDEN IN MY HANDS
Author: Meera Sriram
ISBN: 978-0-593-42710-1

by Meera Sriram ; illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 18, 2023

An intimate, lyrical story about an ancient artistic tradition.

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A child of South Asian descent describes what henna means to them.

The night before a wedding, the young narrator stretches out on the floor while their mother applies henna designs to their hands. With each design, Mama shares memories and speaks of “ancestors long gone.” After Mama finishes, the protagonist must be careful to protect the still-wet ink. The child goes to bed in a pair of gloves and wakes up in the morning, worried about how the now dry designs fared overnight. To their delight, the pictures remain intact even after the child scrubs and chips off the dry flakes on top. The narrator arrives at the wedding ready to celebrate and to show off their hands to their grandparents. The text reads like free-verse poetry, skillfully weaving simple, child-friendly language into vivid, multisensory imagery; the child calls the henna “A garden in my hands, / I will tend for days.” Dominated by intricate patterns and hues of purple and green, the digital art positively sings. Many readers of South Asian heritage will smile with recognition at Mama and the narrator’s attempts to avoid smudging the designs; we see Mama help the little one sip through a straw and brush the child’s teeth. Those less familiar with the tradition can learn more from the informative, deeply personal author’s note. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An intimate, lyrical story about an ancient artistic tradition. (Picture book. 3-7)

Pub Date: April 18, 2023

ISBN: 978-0-593-42710-1

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Knopf

Review Posted Online: Jan. 11, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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THE SPICE BOX
by Meera Sriram ; illustrated by Sandhya Prabhat

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BETWEEN TWO WORLDS
by Meera Sriram ; illustrated by Ruchi Bakshi Sharma

- BOOK REVIEW
DUMPLING DAY
by Meera Sriram ; illustrated by Inés de Antuñano

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ELBOW GREASE VS. MOTOZILLA

by John Cena ; illustrated by Howard McWilliam ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 8, 2019

Engines won’t be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime.

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Who needs sanity when you’ve got family?

The title character of Elbow Grease (2018) and his family of Demolition Derby trucks return to face an all-new competitor. Once again, ’Bo is feeling inadequate next to his fan-favorite brothers. Despite Mel the Mechanic’s encouragement—he’s “the best at getting better”—he wants to be noticed. But instead, he notices someone unavoidable. Motozilla, the monster machine that turns trucks “into crunch sandwiches,” is currently undefeated. Trouble is, you’d need a truck with an array of skills to take him down. Thinking fast, ’Bo makes the wild and somewhat improbable suggestion that he and his brothers join together to form a single supertruck. Will it be enough to take down this bully? Quips, jests, and teamwork are the name of the game as pro wrestler Cena improves on his writing in this second outing, which demonstrates that individual glory falls in the face of concentrated cooperation. Rollicking, radical art portrays the battle in all its gritty glory, mud and twisted metal galore. Human crowds show a diverse range of races and genders, and the trucks’ keeper, Mel, has light-brown skin and wears glasses.

Engines won’t be the only thing roaring their approval when this book hits storytime. (Picture book. 3-6)

Pub Date: Oct. 8, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-5247-7353-3

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: June 29, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S TRANSPORTATION

- BOOK REVIEW
ELBOW GREASE
by John Cena ; illustrated by Howard McWilliam

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ALL KINDS OF SPECIAL

by Tammi Sauer ; illustrated by Fernando Martin ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 9, 2023

A sweet and refreshing reminder that community is all around us.

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A testament to the power of mangoes.

Brown-skinned Mia and Mama, who is darker-skinned, have moved into a new house. Mia loved their apartment and misses it but understands that Mama has wanted a house for so long; indeed, having a house has become Mia’s dream, too. It’s a pink two-story building with “five rooms. Eleven windows. And a whole lot of promise.” One of the things that makes this home so special is the mango tree in the yard. Mia is delighted to finally eat a ripe mango, special because it’s from their home. After that, the mangoes just keep coming and coming, and soon there are too many. But Mia quickly has the idea of sharing the fruit with the neighborhood. A full spread depicting racially diverse people eagerly mingling in Mia and Mama’s yard allows readers to see how wonderful it can be to find a new community. Mia decides, “There’s no such thing as too many mangos.” The light and optimistic story and the vibrant artwork complement each other smoothly. Collagelike illustrations in warm tones make inspired use of color, the pink of the new home contrasting well against the green of the lawn. The book will have readers considering what it means to forge new connections. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

A sweet and refreshing reminder that community is all around us. (Picture book. 3-6)