A beautiful intergenerational tale about the importance of embracing the parts of ourselves that others may find strange.
Bindu loves bindis, the adornments that some South Asians wear on their foreheads for religious or cosmetic purposes.
Bindu’s bindis are particularly special to her because they’re from her grandmother: Every month, her nani sends her a new packet all the way from India, and her delight emanates from every brightly hued page. But when Nani comes to visit, xenophobic White protestors at the airport make Bindu and her family feel scared and out of place, and Bindu briefly questions whether she ought to wear a bindi at all. The feeling returns a few days later, when Bindu must perform a dance onstage at school. In the moment when she experiences stage fright, Bindu isn’t sure if her bindi gives her strength or makes her different—too different for her classmates. With a little bit of courage—and some help from Nani—Bindu gets up on stage and, in the process, remembers why she loves bindis. Bindu is a delightful protagonist whose emotional ups and downs are both familiar-feeling and fun to read about. Bindu’s likability makes it slightly disappointing that it’s Nani and not feisty, resourceful Bindu herself who ultimately resolves the book’s main conflict. Nevertheless, the ending is both realistic and uplifting, tying together a storyline that strikes an expert balance between drama and humor. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10.9-by-17-inch double-page spreads viewed at 58.3% of actual size.) (Editor's note: This review has been updated to provide a more accurate description of a bindi.)
A beautiful intergenerational tale about the importance of embracing the parts of ourselves that others may find strange. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: March 2, 2021
ISBN: 978-1-4549-4020-3
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Sterling
Review Posted Online: Nov. 26, 2020
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Dec. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren.
In talk-show host Fallon and illustrator Ordóñez’s latest picture-book collaboration, an elderly pooch waxes rhapsodic about a life well lived.
Observing Papa sitting in his chair watching TV all day, a young pup says, “I’m starting to think…you don’t do ANYTHING.” So Papa proceeds to list his accomplishments, both big and small, mundane and profound. Some are just a result of being older and physically bigger (being tall enough to reach a high shelf and strong enough to open jars); others include winning a race and performing in a band when he was younger. Eventually, the pup realizes that while Papa may have slowed down in his old age, he’s led a full life. The most satisfying thing about Papa’s life now? Watching his grandchild take center stage: “I can say lots of thoughts / but I choose to be quiet. / I’d rather you discover things and then try it.” Fallon’s straightforward text is sweetly upbeat, though it occasionally lacks flow, forcing incongruous situations together to fit the rhyme scheme (“I cook and I mow, / and I once flew a plane. // I play newspaper puzzles because it’s good for my brain”). Featuring uncluttered, colorful backgrounds, Ordóñez’s child-friendly digital art at times takes on sepia tones, evoking the sense of looking back at old photos or memories. Though the creators tread familiar ground, the love between Papa and his little one is palpable.
A tale of intergenerational bonding to be shared by grandparents and grandchildren. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: May 13, 2025
ISBN: 9781250393975
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: May 3, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics.
An angry child attempts to calm down.
A kid with paper-white skin, clad in a blue dress and striped tights, makes an absurd request: “Can we get a pet penguin, name it Marshmallow, and feed it carrots?” Mom, off-stage, says simply, “Not today,” and the tot transforms into a rather odd creature: a spicy nugget! The nugget is imperfectly ovoid in form, with red rosy cheeks, rage-filled dot-eyes, and a spiraling black-hole mouth. The sight gag works beautifully: When one feels truly angry, all poise disappears, leaving only a flailing ball of rage. Our protagonist hurls a teddy bear, unsuccessfully tries out a list of calming methods, and finally retreats to bed, where “I can feel my breathing; I know that I am safe.” The youngster reverts back to human form, and Mom arrives with kind words: “You are not your big feelings. You are not your angry thoughts.” The takeaway is unmistakable, especially at the story’s conclusion: It’s OK to get mad and important to practice coping strategies. The young narrator expresses emotion with fabulous vigor, though the story’s lilting rhyme scheme occasionally distracts from these outbursts with cuteness. Nonetheless, this increasingly enraged nugget-child is irresistible; anyone who’s grappled with overwhelming emotions will relate—in a word, everyone.
An instructive tale about big feelings, lightened up by a furious kid’s theatrics. (Picture book. 3-6)Pub Date: Sept. 8, 2026
ISBN: 9798217042142
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: May 18, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 15, 2026
SEEN & HEARD
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