A well-meaning but anodyne look at food insecurity.
In Senator Warnock’s latest picture book, a magical lunchbox helps a young Black child learn lessons about sharing.
For the fourth time this week, Leo’s mother has packed him a baloney sandwich for lunch. “For now, it’s all we can afford,” she tells him. The ridicule he faces at school because of it—especially from big-mouthed bullies like Pete—leaves an even worse taste in his mouth. Full-color, digital brushstrokes illustrate a racially diverse school that unfortunately suffers from widespread food insecurity. Leo’s family is struggling, but so is his classmate Andy, who brings just bread and butter for his lunch. Leo’s literal prayers are soon answered by his mother’s new job and by the glowing secondhand lunchbox she gives him. At school the next day, the lunchbox gives way to a reimagined biblical parable. Just as Jesus multiplied loaves of bread and fish, Leo’s admirable instincts to share every slice of pizza, orange, and drop of juice that appears from his lunchbox are rewarded as the food mysteriously replicates. All the kids (including Andy and Pete) are fed by not just the supernatural feat, but also by Leo’s kindness. While many will appreciate the biblical allusion, this earnest exploration of child hunger feels ill-conceived. Many readers will be put off by the resolution, which seems to suggest that positive thoughts and children’s willingness to share are enough to solve a systemic issue like this one. Andy and Pete present white.
A well-meaning but anodyne look at food insecurity. (note to readers) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: April 15, 2025
ISBN: 9780593691526
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 18, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling.
In this picture book from Fox News journalist Hall, a young hedgehog must find a way to protect his community when peril looms.
Hedgehog and his father both have busy days ahead. Dad’s on his way to the newspaper to report “what new news the news brings.” Hedgehog packs his backpack for an adventure, mindful of Dad’s rules: “Don’t talk to strangers” and “never ever cross the river alone.” Obeying the rules proves difficult when Hedgehog notices commotion on the other side of the river: A bear is hungrily eyeing Baby Owl, who’s fallen from her tree. With creative thinking, Hedgehog frightens off the bear and alerts Mama Owl, but the predator is still at large. So Hedgehog and Mama Owl create flyers to warn the forest residents. Though Motzo’s airy illustrations are pleasing—particularly the adorably animated Hedgehog, a tribute to Hall’s own children—the narrative feels bogged down with multiple themes as it attempts to explore the power of the written word, the importance of community, and the need to adhere to a parent’s rules. When Hedgehog apologizes for his apparent disobedience, Dad explains that Hedgehog never actually broke the rules; turns out it’s OK to cross the river in the company of an adult, and Mama Owl’s no stranger (she’s the town librarian, whom Hedgehog sees every week). The back-and-forth may leave readers confused; it also feels like a missed opportunity to discuss how to identify trustworthy adults.
Visually sweet, though hampered by disjointed storytelling. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: March 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780063357549
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Dec. 26, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2026
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model.
The third title in the Ambitious Girl series finds young Maya wanting accomplished women to get their due.
On a school trip to Washington, D.C., brown-skinned, bubble-braided Maya is full of questions, among them “How many representatives are there?” and, while checking out the statues and monuments, “Where are all the women?” Maya’s teacher tells her that they’ve seen all the “popular” statues and monuments. Maya is as dogged (“But what about Eleanor Roosevelt? Or Mary McLeod Bethune?”) as her teacher is dismissive: “Those aren’t on my list.” (Maya’s teacher follows the same list every trip.) Back at home, Maya is newly awakened to the lack of female representation in her orbit—she notices that streets and “even her own school” are named for men. Is there anything she can do about this? Maya’s teacher’s cluelessness feels a bit implausible, more like a plot device to steer the story in the right direction, but Maya’s righteous indignation is believable, and her corresponding activism will energize readers. Valdez gets into the spirit of things with her invigorating digital art: Maya and her multiethnic classmates and neighbors are colorful dressers with smiling faces, which fosters a sense that wherever Maya goes, a warm and ebullient community is there for her.
Another empowering outing led by a dynamic young role model. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Feb. 3, 2026
ISBN: 9780316561341
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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