Marvelous fun: Who wouldn’t want a friend like this?
Mabel’s comrade in imaginative exploits is no stranger to daring deeds.
As Mabel strongly suspected when she first met the titular character in Madame Badobedah (2020), the “longest, oldest, best-ever guest” of the Mermaid Hotel really does have “jewel thief” on her resume of wild occupations. Mabel, a self-proclaimed adventurer, adores the glamorous and slightly rascally old lady. When Madame Badobedah invites her to open one of the many drawers in her “dressing table of dreams,” two stories emerge. Taking an enormous tooth out of a drawer, Madame Badobedah explains that she pulled it from the jaw of a triceratops in pain. Meanwhile, the green glow from another drawer seems quite suspicious, and Madame B says they’ll have to return the mysterious object tonight. The pair venture through Madame Badobedah’s Mermaid Closet that evening and arrive at the Natural History Museum, where the bones of an iguanodon, a T. rex, and a triceratops—all Madame Badobedah’s old friends—come to life for Mabel. Finally, Madame B returns the mystery item—an emerald that she spontaneously pocketed years ago while giving a lecture. Madame Badobedah is a wonderfully appealing character who proves that you’re never too old for an adventure, while precocious, earnest Mabel has a pitch-perfect narratorial voice. O’Hara’s bright watercolors are whimsical and just a little retro. Characters present white.
Marvelous fun: Who wouldn’t want a friend like this? (Picture book. 4-9)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9781536233568
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Walker US/Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned.
All the reasons why a daughter needs a mother.
Each spread features an adorable cartoon animal parent-child pair on the recto opposite a rhyming verse: “I’ll always support you in giving your all / in every endeavor, the big and the small, / and be there to catch you in case you should fall. / I hope you believe this is true.” A virtually identical book, Why a Daughter Needs a Dad, publishes simultaneously. Both address standing up for yourself and your values, laughing to ease troubles, being thankful, valuing friendship, persevering and dreaming big, being truthful, thinking through decisions, and being open to differences, among other topics. Though the sentiments/life lessons here and in the companion title are heartfelt and important, there are much better ways to deliver them. These books are likely to go right over children’s heads and developmental levels (especially with the rather advanced vocabulary); their parents are the more likely audience, and for them, the books provide some coaching in what kids need to hear. The two books are largely interchangeable, especially since there are so few references to mom or dad, but one spread in each book reverts to stereotype: Dad balances the two-wheeler, and mom helps with clothing and hair styles. Since the books are separate, it aids in customization for many families.
New parents of daughters will eat these up and perhaps pass on the lessons learned. (Picture book. 4-8, adult)Pub Date: May 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4926-6781-0
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
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.
