by Sheldon Oberman & illustrated by Neil Waldman ‧ RELEASE DATE: March 1, 2012
A quiet story with lessons to teach about benevolence.
Wind, old and tired, searches for a resting place.
Worn out from all his years of scurrying about, Wind searches through forests, mountains and villages for a place to lay down his weary self. Nothing and no one wants him because of the cold and danger that he brings. Wind is driven to anger and to storm by these rejections until a young girl offers the “dark, dry, quiet place underneath our house.” Her kindness sustains him until springtime, when he leaves. But not before he bestows a lasting gift on the girl and her family—a cool space to find respite from hot summers. Oberman, a noted Canadian teacher, author and storyteller wrote this story in the style of a folktale and called it a “Jewish tale from Soviet Russia.” However, in her afterword, gifted storyteller Peninnah Schram writes that despite careful research, she could find no references in any scholarly resources, although stories about the wind exist in folklore from many lands. This one stands as a quiet lesson in doing good deeds and being a good neighbor. Waldman’s soft watercolor illustrations are almost entirely in shades of blue and evoke a vaguely eastern European landscape with mythical overtones.
A quiet story with lessons to teach about benevolence. (afterword) (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-1-59078-858-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Boyds Mills
Review Posted Online: Feb. 28, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2012
Share your opinion of this book
More by Sheldon Oberman
BOOK REVIEW
by Sheldon Oberman & illustrated by Blair Drawson
BOOK REVIEW
adapted by Sheldon Oberman & illustrated by Neil Waldman
BOOK REVIEW
by Sheldon Oberman & illustrated by Ted Lewin
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers ‧ RELEASE DATE: July 12, 2022
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient.
How do you make a new friend when an old one moves away?
Buddy (from Sorry, Grown-Ups, You Can’t Go to School, 2019, etc.) is feeling lonely. His best friend just moved across town. To make matters worse, there is a field trip coming up, and Buddy needs a bus partner. His sister, Lady, has some helpful advice for making a new pal: “You just need to find something you have in common.” Buddy loves the game Robo Chargers and karate. Surely there is someone else who does, too! Unfortunately, there isn’t. However, when a new student arrives (one day later) and asks everyone to call her Sunny instead of Alison, Buddy gets excited. No one uses his given name, either; they just call him Buddy. He secretly whispers his “real, official name” to Sunny at lunch—an indication that a true friendship is being formed. The rest of the story plods merrily along, all pieces falling exactly into place (she even likes Robo Chargers!), accompanied by Bowers’ digital art, a mix of spot art and full-bleed illustrations. Friendship-building can be an emotionally charged event in a child’s life—young readers will certainly see themselves in Buddy’s plight—but, alas, there is not much storytelling magic to be found. Buddy and his family are White, Sunny and Mr. Teacher are Black, and Buddy’s other classmates are racially diverse. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Making friends isn’t always this easy and convenient. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: July 12, 2022
ISBN: 978-0-593-30709-0
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: March 29, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2022
Share your opinion of this book
More by Christina Geist
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
BOOK REVIEW
by Christina Geist ; illustrated by Tim Bowers
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
Share your opinion of this book
More by Rachel Bright
BOOK REVIEW
by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
BOOK REVIEW
by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Nadia Shireen
BOOK REVIEW
by Rachel Bright ; illustrated by Rachel Bright
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Hey there, book lover.
We’re glad you found a book that interests you!
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Don’t fret. We’ll find you.