A sweet tale that will inspire many young readers to join their elders outdoors.
In Lee’s debut picture book, a young Chinese girl helps her grandfather in his garden.
When springtime comes, Jade’s favorite place to be is with her Gung Gung (maternal grandfather) in his vegetable garden. On single pages and across two-page spreads of the book, Jade helps Gung Gung dig and plant and water. When summer comes, she delights in harvesting the produce—much of it Chinese—and telling readers about its nutritional properties (Jade’s inquisitive nature is beautifully emphasized when she imagines herself fighting oversized germs). She and Gung Gung grow so much food that they have lots to share with Jade’s racially diverse group of friends. Lee tells a simple story of intergenerational bonding and appreciation of nature. Jade’s exuberance is evident from the outset (“I squeal and race him to the backyard…I skip and hop across the yard to check on the seedlings every day”) and is ably conveyed through vibrant digital art by Do. The illustrations capture the variety of colors and exotic appeal of Gung Gung’s garden, offering enough detail to stimulate but not clutter and leaving plenty of blank space for the text. The astute use of color links—such as Jade’s boots matching the purple eggplants, or her and Gung Gung’s hats matching the pumpkins—help to draw readers through the story.
A sweet tale that will inspire many young readers to join their elders outdoors.Pub Date: N/A
ISBN: 9781998215072
Page Count: 38
Publisher: Pomelo Hat Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 21, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators.
Existing artwork from an artistic giant inspires a fairy-tale reimagination by a master of the horror genre.
In King’s interpretation of a classic Brothers Grimm story, which accompanies set and costume designs that the late Sendak created for a 1997 production of Engelbert Humperdinck’s opera, siblings Hansel and Gretel survive abandonment in the woods and an evil witch’s plot to gobble them up before finding their “happily ever after” alongside their father. Prose with the reassuring cadence of an old-timey tale, paired with Sendak’s instantly recognizable artwork, will lull readers before capitalizing on these creators’ knack for injecting darkness into seemingly safe spaces. Gaping faces loom in crevices of rocks and trees, and a gloomy palette of muted greens and ocher amplify the story’s foreboding tone, while King never sugarcoats the peach-skinned children’s peril. Branches with “clutching fingers” hide “the awful enchanted house” of a “child-stealing witch,” all portrayed in an eclectic mix of spot and full-bleed images. Featuring insults that might strike some as harsh (“idiot,” “fool”), the lengthy, dense text may try young readers’ patience, and the often overwhelmingly ominous mood feels more pitched to adults—particularly those familiar with King and Sendak—but an introduction acknowledges grandparents as a likely audience, and nostalgia may prompt leniency over an occasional disconnect between words and art.
Menacing and most likely to appeal to established fans of its co-creators. (Picture book. 4-8)Pub Date: Sept. 2, 2025
ISBN: 9780062644695
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Harper/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: Aug. 15, 2025
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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