Loving but a bit rough-hewn.
A heartfelt parental message.
Although the subtitle explicitly genders the object of this narrator’s affections, there is nothing in the content that specifically speaks to gendered experiences or expectations. Instead, rhyming couplets assure the baby of both parents’ enduring love and exhort the child to embrace new experiences, treat the world gently, and nurture relationships. A closing message telling the child “you were created from the heavens above” hints at spirituality but does not adduce any particular faith tradition. The conceit is that this message will be placed in a box of memories to be buried and then dug up when the child has grown. In the cartoon illustrations, the bespectacled dad holds an adorable, sleeper-clad tot as he walks through a woodsy setting under sparkling stars. A reference to how “mommy’s love for you will never fade” may cause readers to question exactly where mommy is; she appears only in a framed snapshot held by the dad in one picture. Nguyen’s rhyming couplets are affectionate but bland, frequently struggling for scansion: “When you are lost, look to that star way up high… / If you follow that path, home will be nearby.” There is no sense of thematic progression from spread to spread, but the book ends with two wordless spreads in which the now-grown child finally reads the unearthed message and sits with a graying dad while (presumably her) two children play under a setting sun. Dad and daughter are Asian, diversifying the genre. Loving but a bit rough-hewn. (Picture book. 2-6)Pub Date: June 2, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-5107-4599-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Review Posted Online: Sept. 1, 2020
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance.
A boy with wings learns to be himself and inspires others like him to soar, too.
Norman, a “perfectly normal” boy, never dreamed he might grow wings. Afraid of what his parents might say, he hides his new wings under a big, stuffy coat. Although the coat hides his wings from the world, Norman no longer finds joy in bathtime, playing at the park, swimming, or birthday parties. With the gentle encouragement of his parents, who see his sadness, Norman finds the courage to come out of hiding and soar. Percival (The Magic Looking Glass, 2017, etc.) depicts Norman with light skin and dark hair. Black-and-white illustrations show his father with dark skin and hair and his mother as white. The contrast of black-and-white illustrations with splashes of bright color complements the story’s theme. While Norman tries to be “normal,” the world and people around him look black and gray, but his coat stands out in yellow. Birds pop from the page in pink, green, and blue, emphasizing the joy and beauty of flying free. The final spread, full of bright color and multiracial children in flight, sets the mood for Norman’s realization on the last page that there is “no such thing as perfectly normal,” but he can be “perfectly Norman.”
A heartwarming story about facing fears and acceptance. (Picture book. 3-5)Pub Date: May 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68119-785-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Bloomsbury
Review Posted Online: March 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2018
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an...
A little boy exults in his new role as big brother.
Rhyming text describes the arrival of a new baby and all of the big brother’s rewarding new duties. He gets to help with feedings, diaper changes, playtime, bathtime, and naptime. Though the rhyming couplets can sometimes feel a bit forced and awkward, the sentiment is sweet, as the focus here never veers from the excitement and love a little boy feels for his tiny new sibling. The charming, uncluttered illustrations convincingly depict the growing bond between this fair-skinned, rosy-cheeked, smiling pair of boys. In the final pages, the parents, heretofore kept mostly out of view, are pictured holding the children. The accompanying text reads: “Mommy, Daddy, baby, me. / We love each other—a family!” In companion volume I Am a Big Sister, the little boy is replaced with a little girl with bows in her hair. Some of the colors and patterns in the illustrations are slightly altered, but it is essentially the same title.
A good choice for caregivers looking for a positive, uncomplicated introduction to a new baby that focuses on everything an older sibling can do to help. (Board book. 2-4)Pub Date: Jan. 27, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-545-68886-4
Page Count: 24
Publisher: Cartwheel/Scholastic
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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