An empathetic and informative primer that demystifies cochlear implants.
A youngster prepares for a medical procedure.
Seven-year-old Bryn has lost some hearing after recurring infections (“My right ear had gone quiet”), and a hearing aid doesn’t fully restore what Bryn is missing. When Mom and Dad parents explain that a cochlear implant could help Bryn hear whispers and bird chirps again, the youngster agrees to the operation. Hundal walks readers through the hospital experience with gentle specificity, zeroing in on details: the red line that Bryn, Mom, and Dad follow through corridors, the warm blanket that feels “as if it had been waiting in the oven just for me.” The narrative captures both Bryn’s nervousness (personified as a “squirrel rac[ing] in my stomach when I thought about the operation”) and courage; Hundal normalizes the medical procedures without glossing over the strangeness of the experience. Rooney’s illustrations complement the reassuring tone with soft, textured images in a warm palette—yellow and peachy hospital walls, toasty lemon sunshine, soothing blues and greens. The art style is childlike and approachable, with rounded figures and expressive faces that convey emotion without overwhelming young readers. Sound is cleverly visualized through concentric circles radiating from birds, voices, and Bryn’s ears. The matter-of-fact depiction of hearing loss makes this a useful resource for families navigating similar experiences. Bryn, Mom, and Dad are pale-skinned; the medical professionals whom they encounter are diverse.
An empathetic and informative primer that demystifies cochlear implants. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2026
ISBN: 9781771476553
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Owlkids Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...
Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.
The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.
While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 21, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-06-234834-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...
Making things is difficult work. Readers will recognize the stages of this young heroine’s experience as she struggles to realize her vision.
First comes anticipation. The artist/engineer is spotted jauntily pulling a wagonload of junkyard treasures. Accompanied by her trusty canine companion, she begins drawing plans and building an assemblage. The narration has a breezy tone: “[S]he makes things all the time. Easy-peasy!” The colorful caricatures and creations contrast with the digital black outlines on a white background that depict an urban neighborhood. Intermittent blue-gray panels break up the white expanses on selected pages showing sequential actions. When the first piece doesn’t turn out as desired, the protagonist tries again, hoping to achieve magnificence. A model of persistence, she tries many adjustments; the vocabulary alone offers constructive behaviors: she “tinkers,” “wrenches,” “fiddles,” “examines,” “stares” and “tweaks.” Such hard work, however, combines with disappointing results, eventually leading to frustration, anger and injury. Explosive emotions are followed by defeat, portrayed with a small font and scaled-down figures. When the dog, whose expressions have humorously mirrored his owner’s through each phase, retrieves his leash, the resulting stroll serves them well. A fresh perspective brings renewed enthusiasm and—spoiler alert—a most magnificent scooter sidecar for a loyal assistant.
Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle characterization for maximum delight. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-55453-704-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Kids Can
Review Posted Online: Feb. 25, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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