A solid addition to the back-to-school shelves.
Siblings learn to adjust to a new normal when big sister Liza starts kindergarten and little brother Henry must learn to get along without her.
Henry and Liza, a brown-skinned sibling pair with kinky-curly brown hair, have been together “as long as there had been Henry and Liza.” They read, explore the outdoors, play, and get haircuts and flu shots together. One of their favorite things to do is to visit their Best Place under the Twisty Tree, but as its yellowing leaves—a prominent theme throughout—portend, things are about to change. When Liza gets a new backpack, Henry learns that not only is he not old enough to go to school, but his skills at writing, drawing, and using scissors are not enough to gain him entry. As leaves flutter down around him, Henry lets out a “ROARRRRRR!” The theme of leaves continues on the wallpaper as Henry storms upstairs to a blanket fort in which “no kindergartners [are] allowed!” Working through his anger, Henry discovers that there are lots of things he can do without Liza. As he gets lost in his imagination, a process delightfully played out in Marley’s empathetic cartoons, he starts to enjoy himself and realizes there may be some benefits to Liza’s absence. This book deftly explores a topic not often seen in the back-to-school genre: the experience of the younger sibling. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A solid addition to the back-to-school shelves. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: June 29, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-328-91675-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021
Sure to have little ones giggling.
Jacques is a hedgehog with a big secret: “I wear real, bona fide underwear.”
Our narrator received a mysterious package one day; an illustration shows a pair of underwear tied to a balloon with a note “from the Universe” floating down into Jacques’ burrow. Hedgehogs don’t wear underwear, however. Will Jacques be shunned? Jacques worries but comes to a decision: “I have to wear them. When I do I feel special.” Determined, Jacques, who’s been invited to a party, makes a dramatic entrance, with undies in hand. Jacques’ declaration (“I WEAR UNDERWEAR”) is met with remarks of dismay, before another hedgehog opens up about similar fears and shows off a pair of cowboy boots. More hedgehogs introduce themselves with their own confessions. The story ends with Jacques unveiling a painting of the underwear in a gallery filled with hedgehogs wearing all sorts of attire. Though the book is simple in plot, characters, and setting, it wins in its balance of bathroom humor, dramatic storytelling, and celebrations of individual expression. French words are peppered throughout, adding to the fun without detracting from the story for those unfamiliar with the language. The cartoonish illustrations brim with fun; Valdez relies heavily on geometric shapes (triangle noses for the hedgehogs; huge circles for their eyes). Details such as speech bubbles and recurring turtle and snake characters contribute to the outlandish humor.
Sure to have little ones giggling. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 1, 2025
ISBN: 9781250814388
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 1, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
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