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THE GRIEF ROCK

Name: THE GRIEF ROCK
Author: Natasha Daniels
ISBN: 9781839974397

A BOOK TO UNDERSTAND GRIEF AND LOVE

by Natasha Daniels ; illustrated by Lily Fossett ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 18, 2023

An honest, sensitive exploration of loss.

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When a loved one dies, the grief rock appears.

A nameless young protagonist with light tan skin and shoulder-length brown hair copes with this rock, which is so large that it’s unwieldy. Holding it makes it hard to do basic things like eating and sleeping. “Sometimes all you can do is breathe,” but that’s not easy either. Other people hold the rock for the child for a little bit. Others, afraid they don’t know the right things to do or say, avoid them and their rock. Time passes, and the child is able to do basic activities again. “Sometimes you forget the rock is even there.” Other times, it becomes oppressively large again. As the narrator explains, you cannot escape the rock or hide it—you can only accept it, and when you do, its true form reveals itself: love. In a note, Daniels, a therapist, shares that this metaphor for loss was inspired by the death of her husband. The strong central theme carries the protagonist—and readers—through the difficulties of grief and the realization that these feelings stem from our love of the deceased person. Fossett’s painterly crosshatching evokes a lot of interest on the page, as do her organic shapes. The succinct writing and effective images result in a tale that will speak to children grappling with these feelings. Daniels directs adults to check out her website for conversation starters on grief. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

An honest, sensitive exploration of loss. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 18, 2023

ISBN: 9781839974397

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Jessica Kingsley Publishers

Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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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

Categories:

CHILDREN'S CONCEPTS | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Jim Valeri

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings

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by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino

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THE MOST MAGNIFICENT THING

by Ashley Spires ; illustrated by Ashley Spires ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 1, 2014

Spires’ understanding of the fragility and power of the artistic impulse mixes with expert pacing and subtle...

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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)