A sweet close-up on the quiet wonder of play.
A white rabbit enjoys a full day before heading to bed.
Translated from Spanish, Chirif’s tale opens with Cristina sitting down to a rather strange meal: a bowl of soup, two walnuts, and a tangerine so large that it fills the whole table. Each page turn finds the bunny in a new setting: for instance, reclining on a pink sofa in the living room as an enormous teapot looms or dangling from a gigantic flower in a pot outside. Cristina makes simple observations, noticing a caterpillar on one of the flowers and discovering three dog hairs (to be exact) behind the curtains. It’s not until the illustrations zoom out that readers get an entirely new perspective: The bunny protagonist is a toy residing inside a dollhouse as a pale-skinned, dark-haired tot looks on. The youngster picks up the rabbit, and the two whisper and snuggle. As the book concludes, the rabbit tucks the child in with a “Good night, Cristina.” Was Cristina the child or the rabbit? And was the child the one experiencing the day’s events all along? The narrative’s structure is deceptively simple, bringing readers along on a strange yet rewarding ride. What at first seems like a story about a rabbit turns into one about the power of imagination. Like any toy, the rabbit wears the same gentle expression throughout. Ortiz’s sweetly surreal illustrations make expert use of light and shadow and perfectly capture the intimacy of childhood fantasy.
A sweet close-up on the quiet wonder of play. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9781459841178
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say.
A dog-loving child encourages a less-than-enthusiastic younger one to imagine they’re both canines.
From the first declaration—“I’d be a big dog! And you’d be a little one!”—readers know who’s calling the shots. Initially, the protagonists cavort off the page and through the neighborhood together, performing doggy capers such as tail wagging, stick carrying, and dirt digging. But by the time they encounter a multitude of like-minded creatures at the dog park, the disgruntled small pup is exhibiting out-and-out rebellion: “Being a dog is YOUR idea! Sometimes I HAVE IDEAS TOO!” The narrative wraps up with the younger child pretending to be a different animal entirely—cleverly foreshadowed through subtle details in the illustrations. Even the endpapers—lively silhouettes of dogs in the beginning and many different animals in closing—extend the theme to suggest the imaginative possibilities of pretend play. Cheerful, lightly hued colors fit the whimsical mood, while expressive body language allows the art to tell the story with a minimum of words. Ending on a surprising note, with a sweet compromise between the two main characters, the tale gives both kids the freedom to embrace their own preferences and styles—while still enjoying their game.
Perfect for every underdog who wants to have a say. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 16, 2025
ISBN: 9780316581721
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: May 16, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2025
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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