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SAFFRON ICE CREAM

Genuine.

Rashin, a young Iranian girl living in Brooklyn, heads to the Coney Island beach with her family, reminiscing on similar outings she had in the past to the Caspian Sea in Iran and comparing those to the present trip.

At the center of the story are two short anecdotes: One involves three little boys breaking the rules of the gender-segregated, curtain-split Iranian beach and taking a peek on the other side of the divide where women gather. The ensuing chaos is vividly described and illustrated by Kheiriyeh—with women “shouting and jumping out of the water and covering themselves with towels, newspapers and umbrellas.” Order and harmony are, however, soon restored after female members of the Islamic beach guard—depicted as stern, unsmiling women in black attire—patch the holes in the fabric and allow for beach activities to resume. (Since there’s been no connection made between Islam and the segregated beach, the episode may require unpacking for children unfamiliar with the practice.) The second anecdote, which inspired the title of the book, tells of Rashin’s sadness in not finding saffron-flavored ice cream. Her sadness is quickly overcome after a newfound friend, Aijah, a pigtailed black girl, suggests she try a new flavor, chocolate crunch, which she readily enjoys. Lively and imaginative illustrations on two-page spreads adorn the simple premise of the book—a juxtaposition of two beach experiences, one Iranian and one American.

Genuine. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: May 29, 2018

ISBN: 978-1-338-15052-0

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Levine/Scholastic

Review Posted Online: March 26, 2018

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018

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HELLO THERE, SUNSHINE

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale.

Actor, social media star, and entrepreneur Brown pens a joyful paean to positive thinking in her children’s debut.

Brown-skinned Tab rides a strawberry-themed bike, accompanied by a curly-haired black dog, Grady. Tab’s dazzling smile and wide eyes signal the upbeat theme echoed in the text, celebrating the sun’s warmth, which “fills everyone up with joy.” But Tab’s mood shifts, as it’s a “cloudy and gray” June day. Alert readers will spot the dog’s smiling countenance and note glimpses of sunny yellow butterflies and flowers. Mama’s reassurance that there’s “always a chance” for sunshine also underscores the optimism. Tab and Grady bike through suburban streets “to find the sun.” Along the way, the two stop to assist a neighbor building a birdhouse, loft a kite for friends Frankie and Fonte, and lend a hand to others, all while still having fun. Mama steers Tab toward an eventual understanding of the real source of joy: Though the sun didn’t appear, “I brightened everyone’s day!” The illustrations subtly underscore the message of this radiant story as touches of gold lighten the palette, which ends with sunny brilliance. Most characters read Black, though Tab’s community includes people who vary in skin tone, body type, and ability.

Being kind and helpful lights up the day from within in this inspiring and idyllic slice-of-life tale. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: March 11, 2025

ISBN: 9780063342262

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins

Review Posted Online: March 21, 2025

Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2025

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

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

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