A quiet summer picture book to share with the young ones, one of a seasonal quartet featuring Gretchen and her siblings.
A young girl escapes her reality and immerses herself in her imagination in this summery tale.
Gretchen is the youngest of four siblings, all white, and she’s constantly left behind and ignored by the older kids. One breezy summer morning, the whole family goes to the beach to enjoy the sun and the waves. Little Gretchen pleads, “Wait up!” to no avail as the other children splash in the water, so she just plays on the sand with her “roly-polys,” a clutch of egg-shaped toys. The wind blows hard, snatching away her new hat with fancy ribbons. With a futile “Come back here!” Gretchen tries to grab it back, but the hat pays her as much mind as her siblings do. With the help of her hat ribbon, the clouds, a gull, and her roly-polys (amusingly, they sprout little arms and legs here), she takes a break from her frustration and loneliness, flying to her own imaginative world. In this short and simple story, Alley emphasizes looking on the bright side of things and making the best out of imperfect situations. It’s clear that Gretchen’s imaginary adventure is thoroughly satisfying. The ink-and-watercolor illustrations, done in a pastel palette, display images of lighthouses, beach grass, and other flora along with Gretchen and her siblings, giving readers a vivid depiction of a coastal New England landscape.
A quiet summer picture book to share with the young ones, one of a seasonal quartet featuring Gretchen and her siblings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 8, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-547-90708-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads.
Emma deals with jitters before playing the guitar in the school talent show.
Pop musician Kevin Jonas and his wife, Danielle, put performance at the center of their picture-book debut. When Emma is intimidated by her very talented friends, the encouragement of her younger sister, Bella, and the support of her family help her to shine her own light. The story is straightforward and the moral familiar: Draw strength from your family and within to overcome your fears. Employing the performance-anxiety trope that’s been written many times over, the book plods along predictably—there’s nothing really new or surprising here. Dawson’s full-color digital illustrations center a White-presenting family along with Emma’s three friends of color: Jamila has tanned skin and wears a hijab; Wendy has dark brown skin and Afro puffs; and Luis has medium brown skin. Emma’s expressive eyes and face are the real draw of the artwork—from worry to embarrassment to joy, it’s clear what she’s feeling. A standout double-page spread depicts Emma’s talent show performance, with a rainbow swirl of music erupting from an amp and Emma rocking a glam outfit and electric guitar. Overall, the book reads pretty plainly, buoyed largely by the artwork. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nice enough but not worth repeat reads. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: March 29, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-35207-6
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Razorbill/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Feb. 8, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2022
BOOK REVIEW
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings.
The Crayons head back to class in this latest series entry.
Daywalt’s expository text lays out the basics as various Crayons wave goodbye to the beach, choose a first-day outfit, greet old friends, and make new ones. As in previous outings, the perennially droll illustrations and hand-lettered Crayon-speak drive the humor. The ever wrapperless Peach, opining, “What am I going to wear?” surveys three options: top hat and tails, a chef’s toque and apron, and a Santa suit. New friends Chunky Toddler Crayon (who’s missing a bite-sized bit of their blue point) and Husky Toddler Crayon speculate excitedly on their common last name: “I wonder if we’re related!” White Crayon, all but disappearing against the page’s copious white space, sits cross-legged reading a copy of H.G. Wells’ The Invisible Man. And Yellow and Orange, notable for their previous existential argument about the color of the sun, find agreement in science class: Jupiter, clearly, is yellow AND orange. Everybody’s excited about art class—“Even if they make a mess. Actually…ESPECIALLY if they make a mess!” Here, a spread of crayoned doodles of butterflies, hearts, and stars is followed by one with fulsome scribbles. Fans of previous outings will spot cameos from Glow in the Dark and yellow-caped Esteban (the Crayon formerly known as Pea Green). (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Nothing new here but a nonetheless congenial matriculant in publishing’s autumnal rite of back-to-school offerings. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: May 16, 2023
ISBN: 9780593621110
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 24, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2023
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
SEEN & HEARD
SEEN & HEARD
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