A quiet, contemplative book that will appeal to introspective children and adults
In a series of poems that together make a whole, a child reflects on life’s imponderables through the shifting seasons.
Imported from Norway, this story of a sensitive child in need of a friend, of just the right dog, and of the reassurance of a stable family will strike a chord with anyone who has wondered if dreams, good or bad, might come true. The stunning, surrealistic artwork recalls Magritte. The illustrations command lingering, from the fanciful cover and dreamlike endpapers to the full-page interior art. The text, which similarly invites repeated readings, taps into the reservoir of fear within all children of what the future may hold and captures the lonely narrator’s contemplation of abandonment. Mom, a cryptic character with her own thwarted dreams, seeks the warmth of summer while recognizing the loneliness of childhood: “If you feel sad, she says, / maybe it’ll help you / to know that the trees notice it. / … / They’d like to creep into / the hollow of your neck / and be comforted by / comforting you.” The book’s square trim size and length—and its elusiveness—suggest that this is for older children.
A quiet, contemplative book that will appeal to introspective children and adults . (Picture book. 7 & up)Pub Date: April 1, 2016
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5458-2
Page Count: 82
Publisher: Eerdmans
Review Posted Online: Feb. 16, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 1, 2016
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists.
How to raise money for a coveted poster: put your friends to work!
John, founder of the FUBU fashion line and a Shark Tank venture capitalist, offers a self-referential blueprint for financial success. Having only half of the $10 he needs for a Minka J poster, Daymond forks over $1 to buy a plain T-shirt, paints a picture of the pop star on it, sells it for $5, and uses all of his cash to buy nine more shirts. Then he recruits three friends to decorate them with his design and help sell them for an unspecified amount (from a conveniently free and empty street-fair booth) until they’re gone. The enterprising entrepreneur reimburses himself for the shirts and splits the remaining proceeds, which leaves him with enough for that poster as well as a “brand-new business book,” while his friends express other fiscal strategies: saving their share, spending it all on new art supplies, or donating part and buying a (math) book with the rest. (In a closing summation, the author also suggests investing in stocks, bonds, or cryptocurrency.) Though Miles cranks up the visual energy in her sparsely detailed illustrations by incorporating bright colors and lots of greenbacks, the actual advice feels a bit vague. Daymond is Black; most of the cast are people of color. (This book was reviewed digitally.)
It’s hard to argue with success, but guides that actually do the math will be more useful to budding capitalists. (Picture book. 7-9)Pub Date: March 21, 2023
ISBN: 978-0-593-56727-2
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Random House
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2022
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2023
A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph.
Generations of human and animal families grow and change, seen from the point of view of the red oak Wishing Tree that shelters them all.
Most trees are introverts at heart. So says Red, who is over 200 years old and should know. Not to mention that they have complicated relationships with humans. But this tree also has perspective on its animal friends and people who live within its purview—not just witnessing, but ultimately telling the tales of young people coming to this country alone or with family. An Irish woman named Maeve is the first, and a young 10-year-old Muslim girl named Samar is the most recent. Red becomes the repository for generations of wishes; this includes both observing Samar’s longing wish and sporting the hurtful word that another young person carves into their bark as a protest to Samar’s family’s presence. (Red is monoecious, they explain, with both male and female flowers.) Newbery medalist Applegate succeeds at interweaving an immigrant story with an animated natural world and having it all make sense. As Red observes, animals compete for resources just as humans do, and nature is not always pretty or fair or kind. This swiftly moving yet contemplative read is great for early middle grade, reluctant or tentative readers, or precocious younger students.
A deceptively simple, tender tale in which respect, resilience, and hope triumph. (Fantasy. 8-12)Pub Date: Sept. 26, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-250-04322-1
Page Count: 224
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Review Posted Online: Aug. 1, 2017
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2017
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