Bun Bun’s return, somewhat the worse for wear, brings a softly sentimental end to a classic (if a teensy bit exaggerated)...
Paige Elizabeth Darling’s cherished stuffed bunny has a mighty adventure.
“We Darlings have always been lucky,” says Gramma, as she and Paige make cookies together and feed the five cats and two dogs. Then they sit in the Old Blue Chair to cuddle and read. While everyone seems to have their own toy, including the pet squirrel, Paige doesn’t, so Gramma makes Bun Bun Button out of calico. Bun Bun goes everywhere with Paige, even to the park, where Gramma gets her the reddest and roundest of balloons. Paige wants Bun Bun to fly, too, but even though she is very careful and ties the balloon string onto her wrist and listens to Gramma’s admonitions, Bun Bun and the balloon go off into the sky—but Darlings have always been lucky. Polacco’s exuberant and expressive pictures convey Paige’s excitement and delight, and the spread in which she cries while Bun Bun flies off is a perfect childhood howl of anguish. The identical cats and the twin dogs (and the goldfish and squirrel) have whimsical and sometimes knowing expressions.
Bun Bun’s return, somewhat the worse for wear, brings a softly sentimental end to a classic (if a teensy bit exaggerated) childhood experience. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Oct. 27, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-399-25472-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Putnam
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
Warm but underdone.
In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.
Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023
ISBN: 9781250776990
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
An expertly crafted, soulful, and humorous work that tenderly explores identity, culture, and the bond between father and...
Thunder Boy Smith Jr. hates his name.
The Native American boy is named after his father, whose nickname is Big Thunder. Thunder Boy Jr. says his nickname, Little Thunder, makes him "sound like a burp or a fart." Little Thunder loves his dad, but he longs for a name that celebrates something special about him alone. He muses, “I love playing in the dirt, so maybe my name should be Mud in His Ears.…I love powwow dancing. I’m a grass dancer. So maybe my name should be Drums, Drums, and More Drums!” Little Thunder wonders how he can express these feelings to his towering father. However, he need not worry. Big Thunder knows that the time has come for his son to receive a new name, one as vibrant as his blossoming personality. Morales’ animated mixed-media illustrations, reminiscent of her Pura Belpré Award–winning work in Niño Wrestles the World (2013), masterfully use color and perspective to help readers see the world from Little Thunder’s point of view. His admiration of his dad is manifest in depictions of Big Thunder as a gentle giant of a man. The otherwise-muted palette bursts with color as Thunder Boy Jr. proudly enumerates the unique qualities and experiences that could inspire his new name.
An expertly crafted, soulful, and humorous work that tenderly explores identity, culture, and the bond between father and son. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 10, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-316-01372-7
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: March 15, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
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