A fun, sweet—and savory—celebration of family and culture.
A Latine boy goes up against his family in a three-round battle for the last tamale.
Luis loves getting together with his family for a tamalada: a tamale-making party. It’s a fun tradition; even the dog wants a bite. As the family enjoys the treats, Abuelita tells Luis that the recipe isn’t written down but that the secret ingredient is love. Luis’ father asks, “Who wants the last one?” Luis, his brother, Jacob, and his cousin, Letty, all do! A Tamale Battle ensues. Letty’s eliminated during the dance round. Next up is a lucha libre match. Jacob’s a great luchador, but Luis’ dance skills help him dodge his brother—and put him in a headlock. Time for the final round: Luis must arm-wrestle Abuelita! It isn’t easy, but whenever Luis finds himself struggling, he focuses on the wonderful smell and taste of the tamales. At last, Luis wins. But there’s one more competitor he wasn’t considering! Explosively bright colors and fantastical sequences (Luis and Jacob facing off in a wrestler’s ring, Abuelita appearing suddenly out of a cloud of smoke) ramp up the humor and the drama. Details in the artwork—paintings on the wall, a blanket on the couch—add to the intimate flavor. A third-generation Mexican American, Mendiola concludes with an author’s note discussing his own family’s experiences with making tamales, including during the Covid-19 pandemic.
A fun, sweet—and savory—celebration of family and culture. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 3, 2024
ISBN: 9780063295599
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 31, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2024
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note.
Little Honey Bunny Funnybunny loves baseball almost as much as she loves her big brother P.J.—though it’s a close-run thing.
Readers familiar with the pranks P.J. plays on his younger sibling in older episodes of the series (most illustrated by Roger Bollen) will be amused—and perhaps a little confused—to see him in the role of perfect big brother after meeting his swaddled little sister for the first time in mama’s lap. But here, along with being a constant companion and “always happy to see her,” he cements his heroic status in her eyes by hitting a home run for his baseball team and then patiently teaching her how to play T-ball. After carefully coaching her and leading her through warm-up exercises, he even sits in the stands, loudly cheering her on as she scores the winning run in her own very first game. “‘You are the best brother a bunny could ever have!’” she burbles. This tale’s a tad blander compared with others centered on P.J. and his sister, but it’s undeniably cheery, with text well structured for burgeoning readers. The all-smiles animal cast in Bowers’ cartoon art features a large and diversely hued family of bunnies sporting immense floppy ears as well as a multispecies crowd of furry onlookers equally varied of color, with one spectator in a wheelchair.
A tale of mutual adoration that hits a sweet note. (Early reader. 6-8)Pub Date: Jan. 6, 2026
ISBN: 9798217032464
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2026
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
