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KALAMATA'S KITCHEN

Name: KALAMATA'S KITCHEN
Author: Sarah Thomas
ISBN: 978-0-593-30791-5

by Sarah Thomas ; illustrated by Jo Kosmides Edwards ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 6, 2021

A beautifully illustrated, lyrical picture book with an underwhelming plot.

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Kalamata, who is about to start a brand-new school, is trying to figure out how to be brave.

She remembers a time she and her family visited a spice market in India where, when faced with the intimidating crowd and all of the new sights and sounds and smells, Kalamata’s curiosity got the better of her nerves. Maybe, Kalamata thinks, if she can remember how she channeled that bravery, she can find the courage to be OK with going to school tomorrow. Kalamata climbs under the kitchen table with her stuffed-animal alligator, Al Dente, and works some under-the-table magic to transport herself back to the spice market. In her fanciful imagination, the stalls full of delicious ingredients transform into multicolored mountains, curry-leaf jungles, and even fluffy snowstorms. By the time she is ready to return to her hideaway under the table, Kalamata has found her courage—as well as her sense of adventure. The book’s vivid collage illustrations feature saturated hues and a female protagonist with dark skin and black, textured hair. The text is lyrical and poetic, conjuring clever and unexpected images that invoke all five senses. The plot, however, feels unfinished, particularly since there is no clear reason why Kalamata’s visit to the spice market results in her subsequent bravery, making the change in her character unconvincing. A final spread offers a map of India and some facts about cooking and spices.

A beautifully illustrated, lyrical picture book with an underwhelming plot. (Picture book. 4-8)

Pub Date: July 6, 2021

ISBN: 978-0-593-30791-5

Page Count: 40

Publisher: Random House

Review Posted Online: May 18, 2021

Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2021

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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WHY A DAUGHTER NEEDS A MOM

by Gregory R. Lange ; illustrated by Sydney Hanson ‧ RELEASE DATE: May 1, 2019

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.

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All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.

Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.

New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)

Pub Date: May 1, 2019

ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky

Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019

Categories:

CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES | CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S HOLIDAYS & CELEBRATIONS

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ON THE FIRST DAY OF KINDERGARTEN

by Tish Rabe ; illustrated by Laura Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: June 21, 2016

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of...

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Rabe follows a young girl through her first 12 days of kindergarten in this book based on the familiar Christmas carol.

The typical firsts of school are here: riding the bus, making friends, sliding on the playground slide, counting, sorting shapes, laughing at lunch, painting, singing, reading, running, jumping rope, and going on a field trip. While the days are given ordinal numbers, the song skips the cardinal numbers in the verses, and the rhythm is sometimes off: “On the second day of kindergarten / I thought it was so cool / making lots of friends / and riding the bus to my school!” The narrator is a white brunette who wears either a tunic or a dress each day, making her pretty easy to differentiate from her classmates, a nice mix in terms of race; two students even sport glasses. The children in the ink, paint, and collage digital spreads show a variety of emotions, but most are happy to be at school, and the surroundings will be familiar to those who have made an orientation visit to their own schools.

While this is a fairly bland treatment compared to Deborah Lee Rose and Carey Armstrong-Ellis’ The Twelve Days of Kindergarten (2003), it basically gets the job done. (Picture book. 4-7)