Much-needed words—and images—of affirmation.
Drawing inspiration from her popular song “Natural Girl,” Ghanaian singer/songwriter MzVee offers an ode to self-love.
“I love my hair, I love my skin. / I love the shape that I come in.” Young Black girls strike dynamic poses as they joyfully proclaim, “I am a natural girl!” MzVee’s simple, upbeat words brim with verve and pride, accompanied by Checo’s stunning artwork, rendered in watercolor, colored pencil, and marker. The hyper-realistic details of the girls’ hair will mesmerize readers. Short tight curls, locs, loose and cascading tresses, hair in Bantu knots, two-strand twists, or braids—each style shines. Butterflies, bows, and flowers are sprinkled throughout the pages, lending a whimsical and magical feel to an empowering text; Checo’s use of light and shading is wonderful. Girls of various shades are depicted, including a child with albinism, one with vitiligo, and another with freckles. Laudably, the author stresses that true beauty comes from our actions: “I act with kindness and with love, / and this is what I’m most proud of.” “Like a true queen, / I wear my crown / and spread my / greatness all around.” The book closes with a rousing author’s note: “Natural girls rule the world!”
Much-needed words—and images—of affirmation. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 23, 2024
ISBN: 9780358695219
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A solid if message-driven conversation starter about the hard parts of learning.
Children realize their dreams one step at a time in this story about growth mindset.
A child crashes and damages a new bicycle on a dark, rainy day. Attempting a wheelie, the novice cyclist falls onto the sidewalk, grimacing, and, having internalized this setback as failure, vows to never ride again but to “walk…forever.” Then the unnamed protagonist happens upon a glowing orb in the forest, a “thought rearranger-er”—a luminous pink fairy called the Magical Yet. This Yet reminds the child of past accomplishments and encourages perseverance. The second-person rhyming couplets remind readers that mistakes are part of learning and that with patience and effort, children can achieve. Readers see the protagonist learn to ride the bike before a flash-forward shows the child as a capable college graduate confidently designing a sleek new bike. This book shines with diversity: racial, ethnic, ability, and gender. The gender-indeterminate protagonist has light brown skin and exuberant curly locks; Amid the bustling secondary cast, one child uses a prosthesis, and another wears hijab. At no point in the text is the Yet defined as a metaphor for a growth mindset; adults reading with younger children will likely need to clarify this abstract lesson. The artwork is powerful and detailed—pay special attention to the endpapers that progress to show the Yet at work.
A solid if message-driven conversation starter about the hard parts of learning. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-368-02562-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion/LBYR
Review Posted Online: Dec. 7, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2020
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