Sure to be a giggle-provoking conversation starter for kids who have mockingbird tendencies.
How to teach a lesson about inappropriate language without including actual obscenity? Swedish furniture names offer one way.
Following a discussion of rude noises in Daddy Sat on a Duck (2015), Cohn tackles rude language. When Daddy bangs his thumb while hanging a picture, the little-girl protagonist reports, “He dropped all his tools to the floor and turned red. / Then he shouted a word that I’d never heard said.” Despite Mommy’s evident disapproval, the utterances continue: when her father falls off of a pier, during a poker game, and when Uncle Elan—wearing a shirt suspiciously similar to a Jack Daniels T-shirt—visits. Although the collage art is undistinguished and the rhyme is clunky in places, the rhythm gives the story a light tone and encourages readers to keep the pages turning. Adults should not worry about cursing; all profanity has been swapped out with words reminiscent of IKEA catalogs. All too soon the little girl gives vent to her own frustration at school: “SKÅP!!!” Her teacher handles the situation with a gentle but clear explanation about determining what words should not be repeated. A subsequent call to the parents to explain what happened preps them to further discuss the matter with their daughter. The story wraps with a lesson on expressing feelings. An amusing Swedish-English glossary concludes the book.
Sure to be a giggle-provoking conversation starter for kids who have mockingbird tendencies. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Nov. 3, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-316-40751-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little, Brown
Review Posted Online: Aug. 25, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
A heartwarming reminder to embrace change.
A dog who belongs to an expecting couple adjusts to home life as a new baby arrives.
Pepita, the family pet, is beloved and still so little they call her Bebita (baby girl). But Pepita’s world is changing as her Mami and Papi await the arrival of a baby. Pepita is used to being spoiled “with treats and tummy rubs and my favorite fluffy pillow….But lately, things have been changing.” As the home gets new additions like a crib and gifts from the grandparents, Pepita feels left out, no longer the center of attention. Once the baby arrives, Pepita tries to adjust but is kept up at night by crying and doesn’t get playtime like before. But Pepita’s sweetness shines through as she finds ways to help out and bond with the new baby. “I feel so proud to be the big sister,” she concludes. The book is sprinkled with Spanish phrases, reflecting that Pepita is part of a Latine household; readers unfamiliar with Spanish will find the glossary helpful. Illustrations are warm and cuddly throughout, and the story is highly relatable; soon-to-be big siblings fretting over a new arrival will find it especially comforting. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
A heartwarming reminder to embrace change. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 12, 2023
ISBN: 9780593566985
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023
A multilayered, endearing treasure of a day.
Spending a day with Gong Gong doesn’t sound like very much fun to May.
Gong Gong doesn’t speak English, and May doesn’t know Chinese. How can they have a good day together? As they stroll through an urban Chinatown, May’s perpetually sanguine maternal grandfather chats with friends and visits shops. At each stop, Cantonese words fly back and forth, many clearly pointed at May, who understands none of it. It’s equally exasperating trying to communicate with Gong Gong in English, and by the time they join a card game in the park with Gong Gong’s friends, May is tired, hungry, and frustrated. But although it seems like Gong Gong hasn’t been attentive so far, when May’s day finally comes to a head, it is clear that he has. First-person text gives glimpses into May’s lively thoughts as they evolve through the day, and Gong Gong’s unchangingly jolly face reflects what could be mistaken for blithe obliviousness but is actually his way of showing love through sharing the people and places of his life. Through adorable illustrations that exude humor and warmth, this portrait of intergenerational affection is also a tribute to life in Chinatown neighborhoods: Street vendors, a busker playing a Chinese violin, a dim sum restaurant, and more all combine to add a distinctive texture.
A multilayered, endearing treasure of a day. (glossary) (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-77321-429-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Annick Press
Review Posted Online: June 29, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2020
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