From Italy, a beautiful, charming bedtime story for readers comfortable with ambiguity.
“ ‘Where are you?’ a voice called. ‘Hurry up, we have to go!’ But Hannah wasn’t there, and no one could find her.”
Those are the sole words printed on the opening, double-page spread. It depicts Hannah’s bedroom, in which readers may spot, among other items, binoculars, art supplies, and a stuffed creature resembling one of Maurice Sendak’s wild things. On the next page, the protagonist is shown in a park, wearing a coonskin cap, aiming a slingshot at a squirrel, and musing about living there instead of heeding the voice that was rushing her. As the pages progress, Hannah does live there for an indeterminate amount of time, her sole companion the Odd Furry Creature, who is apparently mute. The Odd Furry Creature (resembling the toy in Hannah’s bedroom) is not the only homage to Where the Wild Things Are; the fanciful art has the same muted palette and a similar, appealing style. Moreover, the text offers, instead of a plot, a dreamlike dive into Hannah’s psyche. Both art and text deftly illustrate a common, contradictory urge to escape the company of humans while also retaining its safety. The companions live—undetected—in a vine-enclosed space large enough for their feathery capes, leafy beds, and small fire for roasting pigeons on. When Hannah decides to return to those who miss her, the final pages leave readers uncertain about what—if anything—has actually happened. Hannah presents white; humans seen in the background are diverse.
From Italy, a beautiful, charming bedtime story for readers comfortable with ambiguity. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: June 4, 2019
ISBN: 978-1-4197-3416-8
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Abrams
Review Posted Online: March 16, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2019
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers.
Echoing the meter of “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” Ward uses catchy original rhymes to describe the variety of nests birds create.
Each sweet stanza is complemented by a factual, engaging description of the nesting habits of each bird. Some of the notes are intriguing, such as the fact that the hummingbird uses flexible spider web to construct its cup-shaped nest so the nest will stretch as the chicks grow. An especially endearing nesting behavior is that of the emperor penguin, who, with unbelievable patience, incubates the egg between his tummy and his feet for up to 60 days. The author clearly feels a mission to impart her extensive knowledge of birds and bird behavior to the very young, and she’s found an appealing and attractive way to accomplish this. The simple rhymes on the left page of each spread, written from the young bird’s perspective, will appeal to younger children, and the notes on the right-hand page of each spread provide more complex factual information that will help parents answer further questions and satisfy the curiosity of older children. Jenkins’ accomplished collage illustrations of common bird species—woodpecker, hummingbird, cowbird, emperor penguin, eagle, owl, wren—as well as exotics, such as flamingoes and hornbills, are characteristically naturalistic and accurate in detail.
A good bet for the youngest bird-watchers. (author’s note, further resources) (Informational picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 18, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4424-2116-5
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2014
A solid, small step for diversifying STEM stories.
What does Annie want to be?
As career day approaches, Annie wants to keep her job choice secret until her family sees her presentation at school. Readers will figure it out, however, through the title and clues Tadgell incorporates into the illustrations. Family members make guesses about her ambitions that are tied to their own passions, although her brother watches as she completes her costume in a bedroom with a Mae Jemison poster, starry décor, and a telescope. There’s a celebratory mood at the culminating presentation, where Annie says she wants to “soar high through the air” like her basketball-playing mother, “explore faraway places” like her hiker dad, and “be brave and bold” like her baker grandmother (this feels forced, but oven mitts are part of her astronaut costume) so “the whole world will hear my exciting stories” like her reporter grandfather. Annie jumps off a chair to “BLAST OFF” in a small illustration superimposed on a larger picture depicting her floating in space with a reddish ground below. It’s unclear if Annie imagines this scene or if it’s her future-self exploring Mars, but either scenario fits the aspirational story. Backmatter provides further reading suggestions and information about the moon and four women astronauts, one of whom is Jemison. Annie and her family are all black.
A solid, small step for diversifying STEM stories. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 6, 2018
ISBN: 978-0-88448-523-0
Page Count: 36
Publisher: Tilbury House
Review Posted Online: Feb. 3, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2018
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