Will inspire and prepare readers to share their thanks.
Nothing says thank you like a heartfelt handwritten note.
It’s not every day that Sallie gets a gift in the mail, but when she receives a handmade scarf from Grandma Bee, she just has to say thanks. Sallie is eager to text Grandma, but her mother is on her phone, and Sallie finally decides to write down her text so she won’t forget it. Saying thank you isn’t enough, Sallie decides, and the thanks naturally evolve as she writes down what she is thankful for and how the gift makes her feel. Mom declares Sallie’s work a thank-you note that just needs to be signed and mailed. Sallie is hooked on writing thank-you notes decorated with hearts and swirls—for the crossing guard, a bus buddy, and the lunch lady. Readers with sometimes-annoying siblings will appreciate that Sallie even thanks her brother for keeping his tarantula, Cuddles, caged all day. Later, Sallie receives more mail—a thank-you note from Mom for showing her “how many reasons there are to write a thank-you note.” Rosy illustrations featuring Sallie’s colorful notes help tell the story and capture familial love and the protagonist’s kindnesses. Look for Sallie’s kitten in most of the illustrations. Sallie and her family are brown-skinned; their community is a diverse one. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
Will inspire and prepare readers to share their thanks. (step-by-step instructions for writing a thank-you note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Nov. 1, 2022
ISBN: 978-1-4197-4960-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 30, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 15, 2022
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen.
Words addressed to children aimed at truth-telling, encouraging, and inspiring are accompanied by pictures of children of color going about their days.
“This story is about you,” the narrator opens, as a black boy looks up toward readers, a listening expression on his face. A multiracial group of children romp in a playground to encouraging words: “you are… / a dancer / a singer / in charge of the game.” Then comes a warning about the “whispers” out in the world that “tell you who you are / But only you and love decide.” There is advice about what to do when you “think there is nowhere safe”: “Watch a bird soar / and think, / Me too.” It asks readers to wonder: “If there was a sign on your chest / what would it say?” Children argue and show frustration and anger for reasons unclear to readers, then they hold up signs about themselves, such as “I am powerful” and “I am talented.” A girl looks hurt, and a boy looks “tough” until someone finds them “sitting there wondering / when the sky will blue.” While the words are general, the pictures specify a teacher, who is brown-skinned with straight black hair, as one who “can see you.” While young readers may find the wording unusual, even obscure in places, the nurturing message will not be lost.
Heartfelt content for children who need to feel seen. (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2018
ISBN: 978-1-68446-021-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Capstone Young Readers
Review Posted Online: Aug. 13, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2018
This book will fascinate children expanding their horizons and learning about other cultures (or, in the case of Anishinaabe...
An introduction to the Anishinaabe tradition of totem animals.
In the tradition of the Anishinaabe people of Canada, everyone belongs to an animal clan or totem. This totem animal symbolizes the skills that each member of the clan must learn to serve their tribe. In two-page spreads, Métis artist Daniel introduces children to 12 totem animals, such as a moose, a rabbit, a raven, and a crow. One page shows a child wearing a mask representing a totem animal, while on the opposing page, a brief first-person narration explains that totem’s attributes. The playful acrylic-on-canvas illustrations have an earthy, textural feel where the surface shows through the paint. The text is child-friendly, imaginative, and short—really four lines of free verse rather than prose text. At the end of the book, Daniel has included a list of the animals and their meanings, which is helpful, as the meanings of the animals are not always obvious in each little poem. For example, the butterfly, which stands for vulnerability, is described thus: “Sometimes I feel like a butterfly, / delicate and free. / I spread my wings open / and flutter from flower to leaf.”
This book will fascinate children expanding their horizons and learning about other cultures (or, in the case of Anishinaabe kids, their own). (author’s note) (Picture book. 5-8)Pub Date: Aug. 11, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-55498-750-4
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Groundwood
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
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