A sweet, simple addition to the parade of pedagogical books about sharing.
Playtime isn't easy when you have three toys and four kids—or is it?
Amy is very attached to her blankie, Bear, Bunny and Bird. “I love you all,” she tells them, “because we're together and you're MINE.” Enter twins Zack and Jack to disturb her halcyon moment. “Can we play?” they ask, but without waiting for a definitive answer, they pick up Bear and Bunny and carelessly toss them in the air. Next, angry Amy engages the twins in a toy tug of war. Meanwhile, while no one is looking, Baby Joe has entered the scene, taking his place on Amy's blanket and scooping up Bird, which he squeezes and kisses. When Amy sees her toy has been confiscated, she snatches it away. Baby Joe stands small and alone on the page, eyebrows slanted upward in distress, smile turned to frown. The sight of the woebegone baby stops all three. “He's all alone…without a toy,” the twins observe. Amy has the solution. The illustrations. rendered in vibrant colored pencil and acrylic, have no background—only a simple horizon line, which keeps the focus on the characters. The human figures have sizable faces, emphasizing their expressions and emotions. Sharp-eyed readers will see that the toys themselves are troubled by the strife, and their smiling faces (and beaks) reflect their happiness when fair play resumes.
A sweet, simple addition to the parade of pedagogical books about sharing. (Picture book. 2-5)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2014
ISBN: 978-0-7636-6888-4
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Candlewick
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2014
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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