From the author of Daddy's Roommate (1990), another purposive story concerning misconceptions about homosexuals. Tiffany and Igor don't remember Uncle Brett, who lives far away in Boston; when Mom happily tells them that's he's coming tomorrow, they ask, `` `Is he married?' '' and Mom gets ``sort of a funny look on her face'' and allows, `` `as a matter of fact, he's gay.' '' Then, before she can explain, she's interrupted by a kitchen crisis. Still wondering, the kids encounter some mean- minded teenagers who regale them with tales of obnoxious stereotypes—frilly cross-dressing, black leather and chains—all flamboyantly depicted in broadly exaggerated cartoon-style illustrations. Mom never does set the children straight before Uncle Brett shows up—a nice, ordinary man who hates brussels sprouts and plays catch better than Dad; he explains that ``gay men are just guys who fall in love with each other'' and that some ``do dress up like women [or] wear black leather. But that's all right, too.'' There's no subtlety here, and the real characters are as stock as the imaginary ones, but Willhoite limns them with sure, expressive lines; confronting the negative caricatures head-on is courageous and effective. Useful. (Picture book. 4-8
Pub Date: July 1, 1993
ISBN: 1-55583-205-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Alyson
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 1993
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity.
A collection of parental wishes for a child.
It starts out simply enough: two children run pell-mell across an open field, one holding a high-flying kite with the line “I wish you more ups than downs.” But on subsequent pages, some of the analogous concepts are confusing or ambiguous. The line “I wish you more tippy-toes than deep” accompanies a picture of a boy happily swimming in a pool. His feet are visible, but it's not clear whether he's floating in the deep end or standing in the shallow. Then there's a picture of a boy on a beach, his pockets bulging with driftwood and colorful shells, looking frustrated that his pockets won't hold the rest of his beachcombing treasures, which lie tantalizingly before him on the sand. The line reads: “I wish you more treasures than pockets.” Most children will feel the better wish would be that he had just the right amount of pockets for his treasures. Some of the wordplay, such as “more can than knot” and “more pause than fast-forward,” will tickle older readers with their accompanying, comical illustrations. The beautifully simple pictures are a sweet, kid- and parent-appealing blend of comic-strip style and fine art; the cast of children depicted is commendably multiethnic.
Although the love comes shining through, the text often confuses in straining for patterned simplicity. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: April 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-4521-2699-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2015
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