by Paloma Valdivia ; illustrated by Paloma Valdivia ; translated by Susan Ouriou ‧ RELEASE DATE: Aug. 1, 2017
A tribute to those who pass, a celebration of time here, and a multilayered rumination on the cycle of life.
As loved ones leave this world, others arrive in this existential meditation on the cycle of life, an import from Mexico.
On the title page, a girl sits in an older woman’s lap, and together they read this very book: And So It Goes. Primitive representations of winged people and pets float across a blue background as the text matter-of-factly states “Some have already left”—this includes the neighbor’s cat, a beloved aunt, and the fish from a prior day’s meal. Yet even with these losses, there is cause for celebration as others are born and welcomed. Beautifully depicted tears and memories heal, and Valdivia offers the transcendent thought that those leaving and arriving “wish each other happiness” when their paths meet across the sky. Few words populate each page, yet the text is dense with meaning and the artwork rich with joy. Life and death are a mystery, and so readers are reminded to treasure their time here. Sophisticated concepts are visually explained while still leaving room for interpretation; repeat visits bring added depth and dimension. On the closing page, the girl, slightly older, returns to her chair and the book, with her loved one still close and dear.
A tribute to those who pass, a celebration of time here, and a multilayered rumination on the cycle of life. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Aug. 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-55498-869-3
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: May 23, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2017
Share your opinion of this book
More by Pablo Neruda
BOOK REVIEW
by Pablo Neruda ; translated by Sara Lissa Paulson ; illustrated by Paloma Valdivia
BOOK REVIEW
by Paloma Valdivia ; illustrated by Paloma Valdivia
BOOK REVIEW
by Paloma Valdivia & illustrated by Paloma Valdivia
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...
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Tish Rabe
BOOK REVIEW
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Sarah Jennings
BOOK REVIEW
by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Dan Yaccarino
by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 7, 2023
From curds to riches, from meltdown to uplift—this multicourse romp delivers.
A winning wheel of cheddar with braggadocio to match narrates a tale of comeuppance and redemption.
From humble beginnings among kitchen curds living “quiet lives of pasteurization,” the Big Cheese longs to be the best and builds success and renown based on proven skills and dependable results: “I stuck to the things I was good at.” When newcomer Wedge moves to the village of Curds-on-Whey, the Cheese’s star status wobbles and falls. Turns out that quiet, modest Wedge is also multitalented. At the annual Cheese-cathlon, Wedge bests six-time winner Cheese in every event, from the footrace and chess to hat making and bread buttering. A disappointed Cheese throws a full-blown tantrum before arriving at a moment of truth: Self-calming, conscious breathing permits deep relief that losing—even badly—does not result in disaster. A debrief with Wedge “that wasn’t all about me” leads to further realizations: Losing builds empathy for others; obsession with winning obscures “the joy of participating.” The chastened cheddar learns to reserve bragging for lifting up friends, because anyone can be the Big Cheese. More didactic and less pun-rich than previous entries in the Food Group series, this outing nevertheless couples a cheerful refrain with pithy life lessons that hit home. Oswald’s detailed, comical illustrations continue to provide laughs, including a spot with Cheese onstage doing a “CHED” talk.
From curds to riches, from meltdown to uplift—this multicourse romp delivers. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 7, 2023
ISBN: 9780063329508
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 26, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2023
Share your opinion of this book
More by Jory John
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Pete Oswald
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Olivier Tallec
BOOK REVIEW
by Jory John ; illustrated by Erin Kraan
© Copyright 2024 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
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.