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THE NIGHT THE STARS WENT OUT

Name: THE NIGHT THE STARS WENT OUT
Author: Suz Hughes
ISBN: 978-1-62370-745-3

by Suz Hughes ; illustrated by Suz Hughes ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 1, 2016

This friendship tale doesn’t shine.

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All work and no play does more than make Alien a dull guy.

Alien’s job is to shine stars, and that’s all he does—no play, no hobbies, no fun, no friends. That is, until the day when the stars go out completely. Alien follows his manual, but the stars are still dark, so he calls the Star Helpline. They suggest a magic star varnish sold only on faraway Earth. Off Alien goes. But he’s going to need lots of help—where to find the varnish?—and to add to his problems, aliens float on Earth. Luckily, a young white, blond boy named George and his dog happen along to lend a hand. After getting so much help from George, it would seem rude to refuse his invitation to play despite how dire Alien’s problem is. But perhaps play—and a friend—is just what Alien needs after all. Readers never really feel Alien’s tension, as the book seemingly flits from one problem to the next, each easily solved quite serendipitously. Hughes’ illustrations, which appear to be digital, show Alien as a rounded blue cylinder with ink arms, legs, ears, and antennae and a darker blue nose that begins at the top of his head and looks like an upside-down T. Inexplicably, the duo’s having fun on the playground in daytime, until Alien’s smile triggers the stars’ shining, and all of a sudden, it’s night.

This friendship tale doesn’t shine. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-62370-745-3

Page Count: 32

Publisher: Capstone Young Readers

Review Posted Online: July 19, 2016

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2016

Categories:

CHILDREN'S ACTION & ADVENTURE FICTION | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY | CHILDREN'S SOCIAL THEMES

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THE SECRET SOCIETY OF AUNTS & UNCLES

by Jake Gyllenhaal & Greta Caruso ; illustrated by Dan Santat ‧ RELEASE DATE: Sept. 5, 2023

Warm but underdone.

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In this picture book from actor Gyllenhaal and his partner, Caruso, a child and his uncle bond on a fantastic journey.

Leo, an avid dancer, is dismayed when Uncle Mo visits—he’s in town for a “rubber band convention.” Illustrations show both with wavy brown hair and light tan skin. Not only does Leo think his uncle is rather dull, he’s also leery of Uncle Mo’s many rules. A rather abrupt narrative shift occurs when the pair inexplicably drive into another dimension. Here they encounter Great-Aunt Gloria (who is very tall and presents Black) and Uncle Munkle Carbunkle (who is very short and light-skinned), who guide them through the Secret Society of Aunts & Uncles. Unimpressed with Uncle Mo, Great-Aunt Gloria says he must take a quiz on “Auntieology and Uncleology.” After several wrong answers, Uncle Mo has a final chance at redemption: He must state his nephew’s favorite activity. When Leo springs into action to dance for his clueless uncle, a mishap leaves him mortified and un-bespectacled. Enter Uncle Mo to save the day by using a rubber band to secure Leo’s glasses. While Santat’s energetic illustrations do much to clarify the narrative, they can’t fully make up for the disjointed storytelling—it’s never clear why the two have entered this dimension or why Leo is suddenly so eager to help Uncle Mo. (This book was reviewed digitally.)

Warm but underdone. (Picture book. 4-7)

Pub Date: Sept. 5, 2023

ISBN: 9781250776990

Page Count: 48

Publisher: Feiwel & Friends

Review Posted Online: July 13, 2023

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 1, 2023

Categories:

CHILDREN'S FAMILY | CHILDREN'S SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY

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I WILL BE FIERCE

by Bea Birdsong ; illustrated by Nidhi Chanani ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 23, 2019

Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom.

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A multicultural girl-power manifesto featuring a feisty young girl who faces her day as a knight on an epic quest.

The unnamed narrator puts on her “armor” (a rainbow sweater) and fills her “treasure chest” (a backpack). Venturing forth to “explore new worlds,” she drives back “dragons” (neighborhood dogs on their walk), boards the “many-headed serpent” (her school bus, with schoolmates’ heads protruding from every window), and visits “the Mountain of Knowledge” (the school library) to “solve the mysteries of the unknown.” After standing up for her beliefs—by joining a classmate sitting alone in the cafeteria—the young girl returns home to rest in the lap of an older female relative, possibly a grandparent/primary caregiver, to prepare for the next day, when she can be “fierce again.” Birdsong’s repeated refrain—“I will be fierce!”—underlines the unambiguous message of this sassy picture book, and Chanani’s bold and energetic illustrations reinforce the text’s punchy, feminist-y declarations. They depict a joyously multiracial environment, consciously tackling stereotypes with an elderly, white, female bus driver and a groovy, Asian-presenting librarian with a green streak in her hair. The fierce protagonist herself has brown skin and fluffy, dark brown hair, and her caregiver also has brown skin.

Birdsong began her career as a teacher, and the book will find repeated use in the classroom. (Picture book. 4-7)