It follows, perhaps, that the best picture books are those, like this, that beg to be shared, as well.
Fun for a boy and his grandfather blows in on the winds of a brewing storm.
The fourth in this series of picture books about a boy and his grandfather (Sun, 2018, etc.) once again finds them outside enjoying nature, inspired this time to fly a kite in the blustery wind. Before they head outdoors, they must search the house to find a kite, however. In their searching they come across several things that remind them of prior adventures. This trip down Memory Lane establishes a foundation for their fun flying the kite, which gently tips the story into the realm of fantasy when they and other kite-fliers are lifted into a sky filled with kites of varied colors, patterns, and forms. “We swooped and flew. But then I let go!” exclaims the young narrator at the story’s climax. Luckily, Granddad saves the kite, and then they sail back home on the wind before the storm descends. Throughout, Usher’s watercolor-and-ink illustrations adopt a style similar to Quentin Blake’s, and his shifting use of color, light, and shadow evokes excitement, peril, and finally the safety and security of the kitchen with the storm raging outside. It’s a gentle home-away-home story tied up with a cozy message delivered by Granddad at the end: “The best adventure is an adventure shared.” Both characters present white.
It follows, perhaps, that the best picture books are those, like this, that beg to be shared, as well. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Sept. 4, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-5362-0282-3
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Templar/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: June 24, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2018
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series.
Another creature is on the loose.
The long-running series continues its successful formula with this Hallmark card of a book, which features bright illustrations and catchy rhymes. This time, the mythical creature the racially diverse children set out to catch is an absent mom who does it all (lists of descriptors include the words banker, caregiver, nurse, doctor, driver, chef, housekeeper, teacher, entertainer, playmate, laundry service, problem solver, handywoman, cleaner, and alarm clock) but doesn’t seem to have a job outside the home and is inexplicably a dinosaur. As the children prepare gifts and a meal for her, the text becomes an ode to the skills the Mamasaurus possesses (“Day or night she’s always there. / She meets every wish and need”) and values she instills (“Sometimes life can mean hard work,” “kindness matters,” and “what counts is doing your best”). This well-intentioned selection veers into cliche generously sprinkled with saccharine but manages to redeem itself with its appreciation for mothers and all that they may do. Endpapers include a “to” and “from” page framed in a heart, as well as a page where young gift givers or recipients can draw a picture of their Mamasaurus.
A syrupy tribute to mothers that may please fans of the series. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 5, 2024
ISBN: 9781728274300
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sourcebooks Wonderland
Review Posted Online: Dec. 6, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2024
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