From the author of a slew of comic stories plus a Newbery winner (The Whipping Boy), a tale about a solitary old farmer who makes an old man's equivalent of an imaginary playmate of his scarecrow. At first, Lonesome John's "Scarebird" is strictly utilitarian; it doesn't even have a head, but it looks fearsome that way, so John makes it one and then, by degrees, begins to talk to it and make it more comfortable by giving it hat, raincoat, and shoes; the two even play checkers. When Sam comes by looking for a job, John at first prefers his privacy and the relationship he has established with his invention. Sam, however, is cheerful and persistent; John is soon transferring the scarecrow's belongings to the real boy for his real needs, welcoming someone who can move his own checker pieces and trade harmonica tunes. The gentle humor of this unusual story should endear it to picture-book audiences. Sis' decorative illustrations, in delicately glowing color with economical use of detail and elegant design, convey the timeless mood, the kindliness of the man and boy, and the warmth of their growing friendship. An artful, engaging look at the meaning of commitment to fellow beings; a lovely book.
Pub Date: Sept. 15, 1988
ISBN: 0688131050
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
Review Posted Online: April 25, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 1988
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
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story.
A home-renovation project is interrupted by a family of wrens, allowing a young girl an up-close glimpse of nature.
Renata and her father enjoy working on upgrading their bathroom, installing a clawfoot bathtub, and cutting a space for a new window. One warm night, after Papi leaves the window space open, two wrens begin making a nest in the bathroom. Rather than seeing it as an unfortunate delay of their project, Renata and Papi decide to let the avian carpenters continue their work. Renata witnesses the birth of four chicks as their rosy eggs split open “like coats that are suddenly too small.” Renata finds at a crucial moment that she can help the chicks learn to fly, even with the bittersweet knowledge that it will only hasten their exits from her life. Rosen uses lively language and well-chosen details to move the story of the baby birds forward. The text suggests the strong bond built by this Afro-Latinx father and daughter with their ongoing project without needing to point it out explicitly, a light touch in a picture book full of delicate, well-drawn moments and precise wording. Garoche’s drawings are impressively detailed, from the nest’s many small bits to the developing first feathers on the chicks and the wall smudges and exposed wiring of the renovation. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at actual size.)
Renata’s wren encounter proves magical, one most children could only wish to experience outside of this lovely story. (Picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 978-0-593-12320-1
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Schwartz & Wade/Random
Review Posted Online: Jan. 12, 2021
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2021
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