Required reading for budding phytophiles.
When a young boy’s beloved plant collection overtakes his bedroom, he must figure out how to turn things around.
Leif’s family lives in one of several apartments above their cafe. “Mom bake[s] the treats and Dad brew[s] the beans. But Leif prefer[s] to grow plants in his bedroom with his pal Hortus.” The droll, rather sophisticated text describes the boy’s obsession: Leif’s sole holiday requests have always been for specific foliage, he reads up on plant care, and he carefully places poisonous flora out of reach of Hortus, a turtle. When asked how many plants he has, Leif responds, “Not enough,” while his parents say, “Too many.” Leif’s successful nurturing results in his plants twining themselves around the furniture and spilling across the entire house. After Leif’s watering can and library book disappear amid the jungle that’s consumed his home, the ultimate crisis occurs: Hortus goes missing. Leif adamantly refuses to remove any plants but does acknowledge the problem. Leif quickly solves the problem (indeed, the swift resolution may be a bit unsatisfying for readers), leading to benefits for the entire urban neighborhood. Wen’s colorful, stylized illustrations are a wonderful complement to Wang’s quietly amusing text and include ethnic diversity in group scenes; Leif and his family present East Asian. Backmatter offers helpful instructions about plant propagation, plus a list of pet-friendly houseplants.
Required reading for budding phytophiles. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: June 10, 2025
ISBN: 9781324052784
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Norton Young Readers
Review Posted Online: July 4, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2025
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
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