A luxuriously illustrated tale that exemplifies the rewards of kindness.
Benaroch Light’s fantasy adventure blends lessons about fairness and friendship with a taste of Swiss chocolate magic.
Meet Papimento, a young olive-skinned boy who longs to play in the snow with his diverse group of friends, who aren’t especially interested in letting a girl join in the fun (“Girls are not allowed!”). But first, he must bring a bag of flour to his mother, who’s busy baking. He buys a chocolate bar on his errand, and when he takes a bite (“the chocolate went soft and gooey on his tongue”) he’s transported to the snowy Swiss Alps. There, he meets green-eyed Emma, a fearless skier, and together they set out to find the legendary chocolate mountains, which might help Papimento find his way home. Their trek through avalanches and icy slopes eventually boosts the boy’s self-assurance, especially after he witnesses Emma’s bravery and kindness. Instead of resenting her skill, though, he learns from it, and he conveys this worthy message (albeit a little clunkily) to his friends: “Girls can be strong and brave. They also know how to be good friends.” Coelho’s illustrations saturate the page and glow with bright whites and warm browns, contrasting cold landscapes with the inviting richness of chocolate. Additional resources include a recipe for chocolate cake and information about how chocolate is made.
A luxuriously illustrated tale that exemplifies the rewards of kindness.Pub Date: Feb. 1, 2026
ISBN: 9798998934445
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Lighthouse Media Group
Review Posted Online: Oct. 30, 2025
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre.
Ice princess Lina must navigate family and school in this early chapter read.
The family picnic is today. This is not a typical gathering, since Lina’s maternal relatives are a royal family of Windtamers who have power over the weather and live in castles floating on clouds. Lina herself is mixed race, with black hair and a tan complexion like her Asian-presenting mother’s; her Groundling father appears to be a white human. While making a grand entrance at the castle of her grandfather, the North Wind, she fails to successfully ride a gust of wind and crashes in front of her entire family. This prompts her stern grandfather to ask that Lina move in with him so he can teach her to control her powers. Desperate to avoid this, Lina and her friend Claudia, who is black, get Lina accepted at the Hilltop Science and Arts Academy. Lina’s parents allow her to go as long as she does lessons with grandpa on Saturdays. However, fitting in at a Groundling school is rough, especially when your powers start freak winter storms! With the story unfurling in diary format, bright-pink–highlighted grayscale illustrations help move the plot along. There are slight gaps in the storytelling and the pacing is occasionally uneven, but Lina is full of spunk and promotes self-acceptance.
A jam-packed opener sure to satisfy lovers of the princess genre. (Fantasy. 5-8)Pub Date: June 25, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-338-35393-8
Page Count: 128
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 26, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2019
A cheery story that “wool” likely evoke some smiles.
A “baa”-nd of pirates gets the wool pulled over their eyes.
After a treasure-hunting foray, Captain Hoof and his crew of fleecy sheep are homeward bound with a glittery bounty—the lost Golden Shears, which once belonged to the infamous Woolly Jones. Suddenly, huge waves engulf and smash their ship. They’re sheepwrecked and stranded on Foggy Island, home to none other than Woolly Jones. After nearly a month of failed attempts to get off the island, Captain Hoof decides to return the shears to their rightful owner. Trekking across the island through fog as thick and impenetrable as wool, captain and crew eventually bump into their nemesis, who snatches the shears from the captain’s hooves. Expecting dire consequences, everyone starts to flee, but things turn out wool, er, well. In a 90-degree book turn, Woolly is depicted using the shears to give himself a much-needed “woolcut.” He’s grateful for the shears—and for the company after a long, lonely spell. Captain Hoof and crew are delighted at this outcome. This is a cute tale, though the plot is a bit thin; the numerous, amusing sheep puns will appeal more to grown-ups than kids. But the digital illustrations are comical and dynamic, and the all-ovine protagonists are lively and expressive. The book contains lots of typographical creativity, including some onomatopoeic words, incorporated into the artwork, and maps in the endpapers include islands bearing funny, aptly punny names.
A cheery story that “wool” likely evoke some smiles. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: July 9, 2024
ISBN: 9780593569665
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: April 5, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2024
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