A little girl’s walk to school takes a whimsical turn in this energetic tale from Fitz-Gibbon (The Patchwork House, not reviewed). With her exuberant tootsies shod in brand-new shoes, the young girl cavorts across town. Jaunty rhymes set in a rhythmic cadence propel the verses along as the child’s glee transforms a mundane walk into an exotic adventure. “Mustn’t stop to talk, shoes, / Got too far to walk, shoes!” Fitz-Gibbon’s playful blend of realism and ingenious flights of fancy are infectious. A stroll through the park soon takes on the appearance of a daring safari; readers will be swept along by the child’s enthusiasm as she envisions doing some fancy footwork with a blue baboon on the moon, munching cheese with dangling chimpanzees, and so forth. Zaman’s striking illustrations, depicting the bustling beehive of activity that is a city landscape, effortlessly segues from the actual to the fantastical. Her unique perspectives remain grounded in realism; populated crowd scenes are drawn from the view of the child, with only the other children fully visible amid the mass of torsos and legs of the taller adults. Jolly good fun, Fitz-Gibbon’s tale illuminates for the novitiate what bliss can be brought forth by the acquisition of some new footgear and a sprinkling of imagination. (Picture book. 3-6)
Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2003
ISBN: 1-55041-729-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
Review Posted Online: May 19, 2010
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 1, 2002
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
A fresh, melodic take on family harmony.
Rock legends, husband-and-wife team, and proud grandparents Benatar and Giraldo present an upbeat ode to families.
A youngster with long blond hair confides conspiratorially, “This might come as a bit of a shock, // but my grandma and grandpa…ROCK!” The silver-haired duo—who resemble the co-authors—jam out in a practice space; Grandpa strums an electric guitar, while Grandma belts out a tune, microphone in hand. (All three are pale-skinned.) Jagged star strokes burst from the amps, reverberating across the page. As the young narrator sings the praises of these hip, artistically minded grandparents, the illustrations depict many varied, diverse families making music. One grandparent strums a ukulele, another prefers the drums, and an especially eclectic granny croons everything from lullabies to Led Zeppelin while cooking. There’s no wrong way to share joy with grandparents. Benatar and Giraldo acknowledge that you don’t have to be a musician to rock (“Anyone can rock! / It’s a state of mind, / like feeling happy or being kind”) as they speak to other passions and occupations (“They can be a plumber, a chef, a pilot, a teacher”). One spread showcases other names for grandparents, both colloquial and cultural, presented without disrupting the text’s rhythm. As expected, this pair lays down a steady beat with a smooth flow. Everett’s energetic art, with musical swooshes and swirls, buoys the text.
A fresh, melodic take on family harmony. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 9, 2025
ISBN: 9781728298023
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: June 13, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2025
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