Anna, the youngest in a large family, desperately wants to carry her coffee can of water on her head.
She doesn’t yet have this skill that all her siblings have mastered. Why, Karen can even read while she carries a water container on her head, a detail noted in the exuberant paintings accompanying the simple text, ideal for reading aloud. There is another problem. Anna is afraid of the cows in Mr. Johnson’s field, near the spring. One day, when she is trailing way behind the others, Anna just starts running away from her bovine enemies (very peaceful creatures, as depicted in the illustrations). Her whole family comes to find her, and they all witness a grand sight: Anna running with her full can on her head and not spilling a single drop! James, of Antiguan background, allows her bold acrylic paintings in tropical colors to sprawl across wide double-page spreads of lush Caribbean landscapes. The hummingbirds and butterflies add a bit of whimsy to Anna’s cover portrait. While not mentioned in the text, the Jamaican flag is seen on the wall of a country store, and the author was born there. When water easily comes out of a faucet, young readers rarely think about the difficult chore of carrying water, but they will empathize with Anna’s desire to reach an important milestone. (Picture book. 4-6)
Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-896580-60-9
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Tradewind Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 10, 2013
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A pleasant-enough tale about sibling interactions and escapism.
The power of imagination brings four white siblings together when a rainy spring day strands them on their porch.
While damp weather hinders their plan to enjoy the outdoors, Clark, Gretchen, Annabelle, and Mitchell wait on their porch, coloring and playing board games. The youngest one, Gretchen, invites her siblings to watch her toy circus, in which her beloved, egg-shaped “roly-polys” and teddy bear show off their acrobatic skills. When Bear loses its balance and falls “overboard,” Clark jumps off the porch, and the front yard suddenly turns into the deep blue sea. With scuba gear, Clark plunges into the sea to find Bear. In his journey, he encounters different underwater creatures, which readers will see are imaginative variations of things present in his yard. In this spring entry in his seasonal sibling quartet, Alley gives readers a story of creating alternate imaginative worlds to escape boredom and enjoy independent adventure. Thanks to transitions from pale to rich watercolors throughout the story, readers can follow Clark and his emotions. Although the conceit is sweet, as an imaginary adventure, it pales in comparison to the many others already on the shelves.
A pleasant-enough tale about sibling interactions and escapism. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-547-90692-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A quiet summer picture book to share with the young ones, one of a seasonal quartet featuring Gretchen and her siblings.
A young girl escapes her reality and immerses herself in her imagination in this summery tale.
Gretchen is the youngest of four siblings, all white, and she’s constantly left behind and ignored by the older kids. One breezy summer morning, the whole family goes to the beach to enjoy the sun and the waves. Little Gretchen pleads, “Wait up!” to no avail as the other children splash in the water, so she just plays on the sand with her “roly-polys,” a clutch of egg-shaped toys. The wind blows hard, snatching away her new hat with fancy ribbons. With a futile “Come back here!” Gretchen tries to grab it back, but the hat pays her as much mind as her siblings do. With the help of her hat ribbon, the clouds, a gull, and her roly-polys (amusingly, they sprout little arms and legs here), she takes a break from her frustration and loneliness, flying to her own imaginative world. In this short and simple story, Alley emphasizes looking on the bright side of things and making the best out of imperfect situations. It’s clear that Gretchen’s imaginary adventure is thoroughly satisfying. The ink-and-watercolor illustrations, done in a pastel palette, display images of lighthouses, beach grass, and other flora along with Gretchen and her siblings, giving readers a vivid depiction of a coastal New England landscape.
A quiet summer picture book to share with the young ones, one of a seasonal quartet featuring Gretchen and her siblings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-547-90708-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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