Both young listeners and caregivers will relish this ode to their own favorite Baby-Boos.
What child hasn’t felt boundless love for a special doll or toy?
An adorable young light-skinned, pink-cheeked girl bedecked with blue barrette holding back wispy bangs assures her equally adorable white, pink-cheeked, pink-bowed baby doll that she loves her day and night, in all sorts of weather, and while they engage in a variety of activities and adventures. The simple, very reassuring story is told in lilting rhymes that scan well. The endearing, uncomplicated, gently colored illustrations, rendered in gouache, pencil crayon, watercolor, India ink, and collage, are set against lots of white space on double-page spreads, allowing young readers/listeners to focus attention easily on the child, her doll, and the action; some words are highlighted in pastel tones for visual appeal and to signal adult readers to emphasize them to enrich the listening experience. Though this slim book explores a well-trod concept, it’s a charmer to share with the very youngest audiences at quiet, one-on-one lap times and before bed; it’s also a lovely paean to the caregiver-child bond.
Both young listeners and caregivers will relish this ode to their own favorite Baby-Boos. (Picture book. 1-3)Pub Date: May 2, 2017
ISBN: 978-0-399-54782-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Nancy Paulsen Books
Review Posted Online: Feb. 13, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2017
BOOK REVIEW
A joyful celebration.
Families in a variety of configurations play, dance, and celebrate together.
The rhymed verse, based on a song from the Noodle Loaf children’s podcast, declares that “Families belong / Together like a puzzle / Different-sized people / One big snuggle.” The accompanying image shows an interracial couple of caregivers (one with brown skin and one pale) cuddling with a pajama-clad toddler with light brown skin and surrounded by two cats and a dog. Subsequent pages show a wide array of families with members of many different racial presentations engaging in bike and bus rides, indoor dance parties, and more. In some, readers see only one caregiver: a father or a grandparent, perhaps. One same-sex couple with two children in tow are expecting another child. Smart’s illustrations are playful and expressive, curating the most joyful moments of family life. The verse, punctuated by the word together, frequently set in oversized font, is gently inclusive at its best but may trip up readers with its irregular rhythms. The song that inspired the book can be found on the Noodle Loaf website.
A joyful celebration. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2020
ISBN: 978-0-593-22276-8
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Rise x Penguin Workshop
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Specific visuals ground this sweet celebration of simple pleasures.
Black-haired, brown-skinned children describe many sources of happiness in this board book, dedicated by the author to “former Indian Residential School students.”
“My heart fills with happiness when… / I see the face of someone I love // I smell bannock baking in the oven / I sing.” Author Smith, who is Cree, Lakota, and Scottish-Canadian, infuses her simple text with the occasional detail that bespeaks her First Nations heritage even as she celebrates universal pleasures. In addition to the smell of bannock, the narrator delights in dancing, listening to stories, and drumming. Cree-Métis artist Flett introduces visual details that further underscore this heritage, as in the moccasins, shawl, and braids worn by the dancing child and the drum and drumsticks wielded by the adult and toddler who lovingly make music together. (The “I drum” spread is repeated immediately, possibly to emphasize its importance, a detail that may disorient readers expecting a different scene.) Although the narrative voice is consistent, the children depicted change, which readers will note by hairstyle, dress, and relative age. The bannock bakes in a modern kitchen, and most of the clothing is likewise Western, emphasizing that these Native Americans are contemporary children. There is nothing in the text that specifically identifies them by nation, however.
Specific visuals ground this sweet celebration of simple pleasures. (Board book. 1-3)Pub Date: March 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-1-4598-0957-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Orca
Review Posted Online: June 21, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2016
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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