Books about the seasons abound. This one’s mentions of specific holidays may limit its audience.
A rhyming look at all the fun to be had during a year of seasonal changes.
An apple tree anchors the book, its branches visually portraying each of the seasons: “Glittering sunbeams make a golden crown / for a tree that is wearing a blossom gown.” Daigneault’s illustration here shows the tree heavily laden with pinkish blossoms, the top of the tree tinged yellow from the rays of the sun. Opposite the tree, a groundhog emerges. This sets up a pattern, as Edwards introduces an animal and how it experiences the season (in summer, birds feed their chicks in the nest, for example) before two double-page spreads show how children enjoy it. In autumn: “Racing the field, taking aim, / Helping your team to win the game.” A Hallmark holiday is included in each season: Easter (hunting eggs and bunny treats), the Fourth of July, Halloween, and Christmas (leaving out cookies for Santa). This book is best shared with an adult, as text on the introductory spreads is in cursive, and children may need help with some of the heightened language and imagery on these pages, gorgeous though they are. The illustrations are realistic and portray both beautiful nature scenes and children enjoying the suburban outdoors (only three activities take place indoors). The kids have varied skin tones and hair textures, though they do not appear to be economically diverse.
Books about the seasons abound. This one’s mentions of specific holidays may limit its audience. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Dec. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-58536-403-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sleeping Bear Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 16, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2018
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Pass.
The traditions and history of one of Mexico’s most important holidays are introduced in this latest of Eliot’s Celebrate the World series.
From setting up the flower-festooned altars to decorating the calaveras, the preparations depicted involve entire communities over several weeks. Characters in cowboy hats, sombreros, and baseball caps place the final touches on skeletons in full lucha libre regalia or spangled mariachi outfits. However, instead of accurately using Mexico’s name for the holiday, Día de Muertos, Eliot uses the English back-translation, “Día de los Muertos,” as is common in the U.S. even though the story evidently takes place in Mexico. Also, aside from stating that the celebration “is an ancient tradition,” there is no mention of its Indigenous, pre-European/Christian roots nor does the book actively distinguish between Día de Muertos and Halloween. The first-person narration vacillates between child and adult perspectives. “We do all this to celebrate the beauty of life and death rather than mourn it.” Gutierrez’s mixed-media illustrations are convulsive, crowded panes of frenetic activity. Exaggerated facial features border on stereotypical caricatures—snouts and bug eyes abound. Contributing to the crowded page design is the unfortunate choice of board rather than picture-book format. Consequently, the initial perception is that this series is geared toward toddlers, when it is the school-age child who would most benefit from the information in this book.
Pass. (Board book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 24, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5344-1515-7
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2019
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams.
Readers learn about a keystone species and the habitat they create.
In a “House That Jack Built” style (though minus the cumulative repetition), Sonenshine introduces children to beavers. Beginning with a beaver who’s just gnawed down a willow near their lodge, the author moves on to the dam that blocks the stream and protects their domed home and then to the yearlings that are working to repair it with sticks and mud. Muskrats and a musk turtle take advantage of the safety of the beavers’ lodge, while Coyote tries (and fails) to breach it. Then the book turns to other animals that enjoy the benefits of the pond the beavers have created: goose, ducklings, heron, moose. While the beavers aren’t in all these illustrations, evidence of them is. And then suddenly a flood takes out both the dam and the beavers’ lodge. So, the beavers move upstream to find a new spot to dam and build again, coming full circle back to the beginning of the book. Hunter’s ink-and–colored pencil illustrations have a scratchy style that is well suited to the beavers’ pelts, their watery surroundings, and the other animals that share their habitat. Careful observers will be well rewarded by the tiny details. Beavers are mostly nocturnal, which isn’t always faithfully depicted by Hunter. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A boon for beaver storytimes or young naturalists living near beaver streams. (beaver facts, glossary, further resources) (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-5362-1868-8
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
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