An enjoyable tale that should spark conversations about the ancient world and diverse cultures.
Author/illustrator Linenthal (Look Look Outside, 2012, etc.) turns to the Silk Road in this picture book.
Young Jaya’s mother has been summoned to King Kanishka’s palace to bake her famous apricot cake for his birthday celebration. Jaya is sad to see her go, but Mama leaves her with a necklace of three golden coins. After waving goodbye, Jaya searches for her father, only to discover that he, too, has instructions from the king. He must carve a magnificent statue of the peaceful Buddha, a figure he has never seen. Jaya makes a wish to know what this mysterious Buddha looks like, and the great god Shiva appears from one of the coins on her necklace to aid her. Jaya and her father complete the statue and then must convey it to the palace. On their journey, they encounter more obstacles, which they overcome through the power of Jaya’s necklace and the help of the gods Inanna and Hercules. This fun, engaging read-aloud tale offers plenty of action (“From out of the coin leapt the strongest of the gods, Hercules, carrying a ferocious-looking lion skin”). The adventure is richly illustrated by Linenthal in bright, celebratory colors. At the end of the story, there is useful historical information about the Kushan Empire and the multicultural nature of the Silk Road as well as a recipe for Mama’s apricot cake.
An enjoyable tale that should spark conversations about the ancient world and diverse cultures.Pub Date: Oct. 20, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-61429-232-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Wisdom Publications
Review Posted Online: March 6, 2019
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
A nice but not requisite purchase.
A retelling of the classic fairy tale in board-book format and with a Mexican setting.
Though simplified for a younger audience, the text still relates the well-known tale: mean-spirited stepmother, spoiled stepsisters, overworked Cinderella, fairy godmother, glass slipper, charming prince, and, of course, happily-ever-after. What gives this book its flavor is the artwork. Within its Mexican setting, the characters are olive-skinned and dark-haired. Cultural references abound, as when a messenger comes carrying a banner announcing a “FIESTA” in beautiful papel picado. Cinderella is the picture of beauty, with her hair up in ribbons and flowers and her typically Mexican many-layered white dress. The companion volume, Snow White, set in Japan and illustrated by Misa Saburi, follows the same format. The simplified text tells the story of the beautiful princess sent to the forest by her wicked stepmother to be “done away with,” the dwarves that take her in, and, eventually, the happily-ever-after ending. Here too, what gives the book its flavor is the artwork. The characters wear traditional clothing, and the dwarves’ house has the requisite shoji screens, tatami mats and cherry blossoms in the garden. The puzzling question is, why the board-book presentation? Though the text is simplified, it’s still beyond the board-book audience, and the illustrations deserve full-size books.
A nice but not requisite purchase. (Board book/fairy tale. 3-5)Pub Date: Sept. 13, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4814-7915-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Little Simon/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Oct. 11, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves
A young child explores the unlimited potential inherent in all humans.
“Have you ever wondered why you are here?” asks the second-person narration. There is no one like you. Maybe you’re here to make a difference with your uniqueness; maybe you will speak for those who can’t or use your gifts to shine a light into the darkness. The no-frills, unrhymed narrative encourages readers to follow their hearts and tap into their limitless potential to be anything and do anything. The precisely inked and colored artwork plays with perspective from the first double-page spread, in which the child contemplates a mountain (or maybe an iceberg) in their hands. Later, they stand on a ladder to place white spots on tall, red mushrooms. The oversized flora and fauna seem to symbolize the presumptively insurmountable, reinforcing the book’s message that anything is possible. This quiet read, with its sophisticated central question, encourages children to reach for their untapped potential while reminding them it won’t be easy—they will make messes and mistakes—but the magic within can help overcome falls and failures. It’s unlikely that members of the intended audience have begun to wonder about their life’s purpose, but this life-affirming mood piece has honorable intentions. The child, accompanied by an adorable piglet and sporting overalls and a bird-beaked cap made of leaves, presents white.
More gift book than storybook, this is a meaningful addition to nursery bookshelves . (Picture book. 2-8)Pub Date: Sept. 15, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-946873-75-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: May 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2019
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