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 muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground.
A little mouse experiences BIG changes thanks to a spectacular talent.
Dee’s a singer to her core. She croons absolutely everywhere, so when her teacher Miss Pink suggests that her students bring in something that symbolizes what they enjoy doing, Dee brings in a song. As she sings it, however, her joy causes her to physically grow huge! At first this makes her feel special, but as the day goes on she feels lonely and out of place. Shrinking back to her normal size, she worries that this means she can never sing again. But thanks to the encouragement of her mother and little sister, she realizes that being special is nothing to be ashamed of. However, though her classmates have skills of their own, only Dee changes, indicating that some talents are more transformative than others. After all, while everyone is enthralled by Dee, Ren the turtle’s talent for drawing a replica of a space station is something he “made everyone watch.” The true standout in this show comes from Sinquett’s dynamic art, capable of encompassing the emotional highs and lows of elementary school kids. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A muddled message shoots for the moon but never quite gets all the way off the ground. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 27, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-368-07806-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Review Posted Online: May 24, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2022
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