by Naomi Shihab Nye & illustrated by Nancy Carpenter ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 1994
Drowsing in bed or aloft in her swing at home in the US, Mona recalls visiting ``Sitti'' (Grandma) on ``the other side of the earth.'' Though Sitti speaks only Arabic (she and Mona ``talked through my father, as if he were a telephone''), the two had their own language of gestures and glances, hums, and claps. Sitti showed Mona around her neighborhood and shared with her the pleasure of traditional household tasks. Nye, a poet who edited This Same Sky (1992, ALA Notable), deftly assembles particulars signifying the warm and enduring bond growing between Sitti and her American granddaughter, recounting the incidents with quiet eloquence. In Carpenter's collages, vigorously painted figures and settings are enriched with photographed details, fabric patterns, and—in a striking opening spread—a global map as a delicate underlay. Mona's narrative concludes with an explicit, heartfelt plea for peace, addressed to the President of the US; but the universal humanity that's implicit in her lyrical portrait of Sitti is more powerful still. (Picture book. 4-9)
Pub Date: March 1, 1994
ISBN: 0-02-768460-1
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Four Winds/MacMillan
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 1994
Share your opinion of this book
More by Naomi Shihab Nye
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
by Naomi Shihab Nye ; illustrated by B.C. Peterschmidt
BOOK REVIEW
by Naomi Shihab Nye ; illustrated by Rafael López
by Stephen King ; illustrated by Maurice Sendak ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 2, 2025
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
Share your opinion of this book
by Bess Kalb ; illustrated by Erin Kraan ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 30, 2025
An endearing ode to big siblinghood.
A buffalo is disconcerted when his daily routine is disrupted by a newborn.
Kalb begins with the playful rhymes and rhythms she employed in Buffalo Fluffalo (2024). Fluffalo, having learned a lesson in cooperation in his earlier outing, happily cavorts with Ram, Crow, and Prairie Dog before enjoying some thoughtful alone time and then settling down to sleep at dusk. A loud wailing sound wakes him at dawn and continues into daybreak. “‘What could that be?’ huffed tired old Fluffalo. / ‘I’ve said it before—I’ve had enuffalo!’” When he discovers that the sound is coming from a tiny buffalo, he becomes both irate and alarmed. Fortunately, his friends show up and assure him that the little one just needs some time to learn and grow. Fluffalo calms down and admits that the baby is a bit cute—something readers will have already realized, thanks to Kraan’s sweetly imaginative art. In the ensuing pages, Fluffalo mentors the loving Puffalo, including the baby in his daily activities and fielding (some of) Puff’s many questions. Readers with younger siblings will appreciate the subtle acknowledgment that Fluffalo’s new role can be taxing, but overall, the tale affirms the joy of mentoring, while the colorful, stylized art perfectly complements the upbeat verse. It’s easy to imagine an older child reading this story to a younger one at bedtime.
An endearing ode to big siblinghood. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 30, 2025
ISBN: 9780593810309
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House Studio
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
Share your opinion of this book
More by Bess Kalb
BOOK REVIEW
by Bess Kalb ; illustrated by Erin Kraan
© Copyright 2025 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Trouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.