by Roberto Aliaga ; illustrated by Miguel Ángel Díez ; translated by Jon Brokenbrow ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 5, 2019
For those who have lost home; for those who will always be searching.
Themes of displacement, community, and facing the unknown suffuse this picture book.
White text pops off warm, nighttime-blue double-page spreads. Dots of yellow light from anthropomorphic “fireflies” feel familiar and welcoming. The glowing fireflies have very human bodies, translucent wings, pale complexions, and elfin noses; they wear unremarkable Western clothing. Despite their transcendent qualities, the fireflies encounter very human needs of food and home as their dwellings in a city park are destroyed by excavators. With the spirit of a road trip, this existential quest commences as the intergenerational group soars through the evening with suitcases and maps in hand. Whether it’s due to a forgotten teddy, lost friends, or a misplaced sense of direction entirely, each featured firefly relies on encouragement from another in the party for the necessary confidence to move along. The ceaseless night and the uncertainty among so many fireflies remind readers that sometimes a destination will remain elusive, particularly for those forced into movement. The distinctive feel of stone-paper pages is a grounding complement to the uprooted nature of this narrative about a group of people involuntarily searching for a new home.
For those who have lost home; for those who will always be searching. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Nov. 5, 2019
ISBN: 978-84-16733-54-5
Page Count: 28
Publisher: Cuento de Luz
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2019
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by Roberto Aliaga ; illustrated by Dani Padrón ; translated by Jon Brokenbrow
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by Roberto Aliaga & illustrated by Sonja Wimmer
by Craig Smith ; illustrated by Katz Cowley ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2010
Hee haw.
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The print version of a knee-slapping cumulative ditty.
In the song, Smith meets a donkey on the road. It is three-legged, and so a “wonky donkey” that, on further examination, has but one eye and so is a “winky wonky donkey” with a taste for country music and therefore a “honky-tonky winky wonky donkey,” and so on to a final characterization as a “spunky hanky-panky cranky stinky-dinky lanky honky-tonky winky wonky donkey.” A free musical recording (of this version, anyway—the author’s website hints at an adults-only version of the song) is available from the publisher and elsewhere online. Even though the book has no included soundtrack, the sly, high-spirited, eye patch–sporting donkey that grins, winks, farts, and clumps its way through the song on a prosthetic metal hoof in Cowley’s informal watercolors supplies comical visual flourishes for the silly wordplay. Look for ready guffaws from young audiences, whether read or sung, though those attuned to disability stereotypes may find themselves wincing instead or as well.
Hee haw. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: May 1, 2010
ISBN: 978-0-545-26124-1
Page Count: 26
Publisher: Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Dec. 28, 2018
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by Craig Smith ; illustrated by Katz Cowley
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by Doug MacLeod ; illustrated by Craig Smith
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by Adam Osterweil and illustrated by Craig Smith
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
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by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
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by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
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