by Sarah Beth Durst ; illustrated by Ben Whitehouse ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 6, 2017
Would that every older child looked after his or her new-to-school younger sibling with such kindness and attention.
The bond between a little brother and his big sister helps him tackle his first day of school.
Roar is not ready for the summer to be over. The little dragon loves spending time at the beach with his family, especially his older sister, Sparkles. Besides, fall means school, and Roar is very nervous that he will have to do things that he’s not so sure he can yet, like breathe fire by himself. Sparkles tries to reassure him, but Roar still worries. On the first day, the sister sweetly takes care of her brother, holding his hand as they ride the school bus (a giant flying dragon!) and walking him to class. Roar’s moods quickly morph from worried to happy as he makes a new friend. The school day progresses as it usually does, albeit with some draconic twists, and Roar draws a picture of what he loves most of all: Sparkles, who is there to meet him for the bus ride home. Readers will enjoy the peek at dragon life that Whitehouse provides, from the way Roar’s mom roasts the veggies before they come out of the garden to the pesky winged ponies that must be chased off the roof. In the brightly colored illustrations, yellow Roar looks like his father, and orange Sparkles takes after her mother (the female characters have eyelashes).
Would that every older child looked after his or her new-to-school younger sibling with such kindness and attention. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: June 6, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-7624-5986-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Running Press
Review Posted Online: May 14, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2017
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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 29, 2022
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
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by Kevin Jonas & Danielle Jonas ; illustrated by Courtney Dawson
by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Chris Chatterton ‧ RELEASE DATE: Dec. 6, 2022
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily.
A group of young “dinosauruses” go out into the world on their own.
A fuchsia little Hugasaurus and her Pappysaur (both of whom resemble Triceratops) have never been apart before, but Hugasaurus happily heads off with lunchbox in hand and “wonder in her heart” to make new friends. The story has a first-day-of-school feeling, but Hugasaurus doesn’t end up in a formal school environment; rather, she finds herself on a playground with other little prehistoric creatures, though no teacher or adult seems to be around. At first, the new friends laugh and play. But Hugasaurus’ pals begin to squabble, and play comes to a halt. As she wonders what to do, a fuzzy platypus playmate asks some wise questions (“What…would your Pappy say to do? / What makes YOU feel better?”), and Hugasaurus decides to give everyone a hug—though she remembers to ask permission first. Slowly, good humor is restored and play begins anew with promises to be slow to anger and, in general, to help create a kinder world. Short rhyming verses occasionally use near rhyme but also include fun pairs like ripples and double-triples. Featuring cozy illustrations of brightly colored creatures, the tale sends a strong message about appropriate and inappropriate ways to resolve conflict, the final pages restating the lesson plainly in a refrain that could become a classroom motto. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Gently models kindness and respect—positive behavior that can be applied daily. (Picture book. 4-6)Pub Date: Dec. 6, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-338-82869-6
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Orchard/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: Sept. 27, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 15, 2022
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
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by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Rachel Bright
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