A creative tale about the importance of kindness.
Neighbors learn to accept one another’s differences in this picture book.
In “the Land of Numerals,” Black Family 13 is considered “odd and unlucky.” The daughter, Little 13, struggles socially. She overhears schoolmates call her “bad luck.” Despite Dad 13’s encouragement, she feels dejected. One day, she observes her neighbors White Family 11 drive off and notices Baby 11’s blanket fly out the window. Heeding her dad’s reminder that “kindness counts,” Little 13 retrieves the blanket, wraps it, and attaches a note. When White “Grumpy Grandma 12” across the street sees Little 13 drop off the package, she calls “Police 911,” questioning, “Why is bad luck coming from House 11?” The police arrive and Family 11 returns. Little 13 anxiously watches the commotion. When Teen 11 reads Little 13’s note, he implores his mother to thank the youngster. Though hesitant to interact with her “unlucky” neighbors, Mom 11 realizes Family 13 is warm and kind. After she thanks Little 13, she and Mom 13 discover “they had so much in common and so much to share.” The moms recognize “no two numbers are the same, they are each special.” The use of numbers as a way to represent traits and differences between people is clever. Fakki deftly demonstrates the importance of respecting others, refuting stereotypes and assumptions, and treating individuals with compassion. Marreiro’s whimsical illustrations feature bright hues and cartoonlike characters with black dot eyes. Number-adorned wallpaper, clothing, and buildings appear throughout.
A creative tale about the importance of kindness.Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-73390-496-4
Page Count: 41
Publisher: Hightree Publishing
Review Posted Online: Nov. 8, 2021
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet.
A ghost longs to be scary, but none of the creepy personas she tries on fit.
Misty, a feline ghost with big green eyes and long whiskers, wants to be the frightening presence that her haunted house calls for, but sadly, she’s “too cute to be spooky.” She dons toilet paper to resemble a mummy, attempts to fly on a broom like a witch, and howls at the moon like a werewolf. Nothing works. She heads to a Halloween party dressed reluctantly as herself. When she arrives, her friends’ joyful screams reassure her that she’s great just as she is. Sadler’s message, though a familiar one, is delivered effectively in a charming, ghostly package. Misty truly is too precious to be frightening. Laberis depicts an endearingly spooky, all-animal cast—a frog witch, for instance, and a crocodilian mummy. Misty’s sidekick, a cheery little bat who lends support throughout, might be even more adorable than she is. Though Misty’s haunted house is filled with cobwebs and surrounded by jagged, leafless trees, the charming characters keep things from ever getting too frightening. The images will encourage lingering looks. Clearly, there’s plenty that makes Misty special just as she is—a takeaway that adults sharing the book with their little ones should be sure to drive home.
Too cute to be spooky indeed but most certainly sweet. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Aug. 13, 2024
ISBN: 9780593702901
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: May 17, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
The visual details invite interaction, making it a good choice for storytime or solo inspection.
It’s a quiet day, until….
“I have a bot!” An excited child’s happiness is short-lived, for the remote-controlled toy escapes its wireless tether and begins an ascent up the side of a skyscraper. The building’s doorman launches a race to recover the bot, and soon everyone wants to help. Attempts to retrieve the bot, which is rendered as a red rectangle with a propeller, arms, and a rudimentary face, go from the mundanity of a broom to the absurd—a bright orange beehive hairdo and a person-sized Venus’ flytrap are just some of the silly implements the building’s occupants use to try to rein in the bot. Each double-page spread reveals another level of the building—and further visual hijinks—as the bot makes its way to the top, where an unexpected hero waits (keep an eye out for falling bananas). The tall, narrow trim size echoes the shape of the skyscraper, providing a sense of height as the bot rises. Text is minimal; short declarations in tidy black dialogue bubbles with white courier-style typeface leave the primary-colored, blocky art to effectively carry the story. Facial expressions—both human and bot—are comically spot-on. The bot-owning child has light skin, and there are several people of color among those trying to rescue the bot. One person wears a kufi.
The visual details invite interaction, making it a good choice for storytime or solo inspection. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: July 23, 2019
ISBN: 978-0-425-28881-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: March 30, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
PERSPECTIVES
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