Who can’t enjoy a book that so engages the mind and expands the imagination—and in which everybody is so polite, too.
Sebastian rescues an injured crow while playing in his favorite spot in the woods, leading to a curious adventure.
After her rescue, the crow comes across a cat who has grown tired of his ball of yarn. She asks for it politely and then gives it to Sebastian as a gift. Sebastian has no need for the yarn but accepts it graciously. Then the crow comes across a baker with spoons in his rubbish bin. She asks for them, again politely, and takes them to Sebastian as a gift too. Then come the traffic cone from the witch (she was using it as a hat), the enormous can of soda from the giant, and other interesting objects in an engaging sequence. Readers will be fascinated, one page after another, to watch how the gifts take shape together in the woods. “SQUAAAAWK!” says the crow, every now and then, with personality and determination. She seems to have an end goal in mind for the collected junk, and she does not disappoint. This pleasant debut picture book from Minkovitz and Medina will have readers always wondering what will happen next. Medina’s style is reminiscent of Jon Klassen’s, distinguished by matte textures, spare use of color, and flat planes; it’s an excellent companion to Minkovitz’s wry, understated text. Sebastian is blue.
Who can’t enjoy a book that so engages the mind and expands the imagination—and in which everybody is so polite, too. (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Oct. 9, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-9987999-8-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Penny Candy
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes.
A lift-the-flap book gives the littlest trick-or-treaters some practice identifying partygoers under their costumes.
Little Blue Truck and his buddy Toad are off to a party, and they invite readers (and a black cat) along for the ride: “ ‘Beep! Beep! Beep!’ / says Little Blue. / ‘It’s Halloween!’ / You come, too.” As they drive, they are surprised (and joined) by many of their friends in costume. “Who’s that in a tutu / striking a pose / up on the tiniest / tips of her toes? / Under the mask / who do you see?” Lifting the flap unmasks a friend: “ ‘Quack!’ says the duck. / ‘It’s me! It’s me!’ ” The sheep is disguised as a clown, the cow’s a queen, the pig’s a witch, the hen and her chick are pirates, and the horse is a dragon. Not to be left out, Little Blue has a costume, too. The flaps are large and sturdy, and enough of the animals’ characteristic features are visible under and around the costumes that little ones will be able to make successful guesses even on the first reading. Lovely curvy shapes and autumn colors fade to dusky blues as night falls, and children are sure to notice the traditional elements of a Halloween party: apple bobbing, lit jack-o’-lanterns, and punch and treats.
Beloved Little Blue takes a bit of the mystery—and fear—out of Halloween costumes. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: July 5, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-544-77253-3
Page Count: 16
Publisher: HMH Books
Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016
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