A fun, visual way to relate women, activism, and big ideas to children.
A concept book for budding feminists.
For youngsters who love to pore over images in early concept books, this oversized book with board pages offers an extra layer by introducing groundbreaking women and their contributions to the arts, history, science, and other areas of society. Concepts are presented in double-page spreads that feature labeled images in bold colors and a geometric graphic design, a rhyming overview that invokes “you” to become engaged, and short descriptions of women and their accomplishments. While the opening “Change” and “Pioneers” sections are so abstract as to be potentially confusing, they set the activist tone for the rest of the book. Successive concepts, from food, colors, and animals to music, gardening, and space, make more sense and follow a predictable pattern. A concluding “Family” section depicts a family tree with one interracial branch but no evidence of same-sex branches. The diverse women covered span from historical Frida Kahlo and Amelia Earhart to the more modern Serena Williams and Jane Goodall. Such figures as Lek Chailert, who’s fighting to protect Asian elephants in Thailand, may be new to adults, too. This volume also deviates from traditional concept books by promoting multiple ability levels. For instance, “Building Things” includes basic shapes as well as types of columns and blueprint elements. This range of content allows readers at many stages to visit and revisit the book.
A fun, visual way to relate women, activism, and big ideas to children. (Informational picture book. 3-7)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-7336335-4-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bushel & Peck Books
Review Posted Online: Sept. 11, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2019
BOOK REVIEW
Larry could use a better compass.
As Larry Gets Lost again per series formula, the dog and his boy, Pete, look for alphabet letters and explore New York City.
The sights they take in are sometimes specific and sometimes generic, but they are mostly iconic: “C is for Central Park and the Chrysler building,” while “D is for deli.” “W is for Wall Street,” and “Y is for Yankee Stadium” exemplify New York City, but “I is for ice cream” seems a bit of a stretch. Several entries will require some context for many readers, such as “A is for art” (a lineup of Warhol soup cans at the Museum of Modern Art); “H is for the High Line”; and “V is for the Village” (Greenwich Village, that is). In Skewes’ retro-styled illustrations, Pete is a white boy who looks a bit like Elroy Jetson, with hair puffing out from beneath the brim of a baseball cap, and Larry is similarly stylized. The mostly silhouetted background figures that occasionally appear do nothing to convey the city’s tremendous cultural diversity. The pages are largely just one- or two-color designs in a sophisticated palette that occasionally works against meaning: The blue-on-blue “N is for neon at night” (in Times Square) is devoid of neon. The square size makes the pages feel cramped. NY Is for New York, by Paul Thurlby (2017), does much the same thing and is far more attractive.
Larry could use a better compass. (Picture book. 5-7)Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-63217-167-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Little Bigfoot/Sasquatch
Review Posted Online: April 15, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A lyrical introduction to STEM for budding scientists, animal lovers, and artists everywhere
Muted, mixed-media illustrations pair nicely with spare, poetic text that depicts the seasons in a forest.
An owl sits in a hole in a tree, “keeping an eye on things” as each new season begins and ends. Squirrels first seen curled up in a tree soon seek food as snowflakes drift down; birds and frogs liven up the pond in spring but quiet down in summer heat; the squirrels scurry about once again in fall as the frogs burrow their way into the mud below the pond. This book doesn’t shy away from presenting natural dangers—when the owl goes hunting, squirrels must beware. And summer lightning hits the owl’s tree—will it escape in time? Winter comes again, and so does a new perspective: Readers peek out through a hole in the tree from deep inside the squirrels’ den to see the owl flying past. This first introduction to the science of seasons and animal behavior features painterly, detailed illustrations that enchant and instruct, illuminating and extending the lively, approachable, often onomatopoeic text. Frontmatter explains why we have seasons and certain weather patterns such as thunderstorms; complementary backmatter offers both topical discussion questions and a subject index, which further lend this book to STEM-related storytimes and activities.
A lyrical introduction to STEM for budding scientists, animal lovers, and artists everywhere . (Informational picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: July 10, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9600-9
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: May 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2018
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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