A rhyming picture book about celebrating difference that isn’t quite different enough.
Each of us, no matter what our age, brings a unique gift to the world.
People have different eye colors, like brown, gray, or hazel. Others have hair that is different in length, style, and/or texture. Still others have bodies that are different shapes and sizes from other people’s—bodies that they decide to dress in clothes traditionally considered male, female, or both, or neither. Children also have different personalities, likes, and dislikes. Some may be shy, while others are confident and loud. Some children speak with their hands, while others read with their hands. The book concludes with a message encouraging readers to celebrate their own differences by appreciating the unique contributions they make to the world. This rhyming book about diversity is driven by its simple, cartoon illustrations, which depict people with a variety of body, hair, skin, and eye types as they organically incorporate diverse characteristics into otherwise mundane activities. Examples of these visual messages include a girl in a hijab painting a landscape, a child with forearm crutches going door to door to get out the vote, and a different child snuggled in bed with two women of color. The extensive representation of disability is refreshing. However, the book is basically a list of personality traits and physical features and not a narrative. Although the underlying message is clear, inspiring, and highly relevant, unfortunately, the book’s execution feels similar to existing titles and approaches. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A rhyming picture book about celebrating difference that isn’t quite different enough. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Oct. 5, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-57687-985-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: POW!
Review Posted Online: June 28, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2021
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original...
A sweetened, condensed version of the best-selling picture book, The Kissing Hand.
As in the original, Chester Raccoon is nervous about attending Owl’s night school (raccoons are nocturnal). His mom kisses him on the paw and reminds him, “With a Kissing Hand… / We’ll never be apart.” The text boils the story down to its key elements, causing this version to feel rushed. Gone is the list of fun things Chester will get to do at school. Fans of the original may be disappointed that this board edition uses a different illustrator. Gibson’s work is equally sentimental, but her renderings are stiff and flat in comparison to the watercolors of Harper and Leak. Very young readers will probably not understand that Owl’s tree, filled with opossums, a squirrel, a chipmunk and others, is supposed to be a school.
Parents of toddlers starting school or day care should seek separation-anxiety remedies elsewhere, and fans of the original shouldn’t look to this version as replacement for their page-worn copies. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-933718-77-4
Page Count: 14
Publisher: Tanglewood Publishing
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2014
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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