Adorable—that just about sums it up. (Picture book. 4-7)
Pippa, Pia, Poppy, Polly, and Peg are as alike as the title would indicate: poppets with naturally curly hair, button-dot features, and patches of color on their cheeks.
They behave the same in all things, including spilling their milk, eating (rather messily), and squinching up their eyes while using the potty (an extremely discreet image; only the stray rolls of toilet paper indicate what is going on). And they sleep, each and all, on their backs, each holding a small bunny stuffie and sucking on one little finger. This cannot last, and as they grow older, they throw off the shackles of parental unanimity, starting with their hair: one always wears a crown; another does hers in multiple braids; one uses colored hair gel to great effect; and so on. It doesn’t take long for the quints to choose their own clothes, their own hobbies and activities (guitar, painting, knitting, reading, electronic doodads), and their own dreams. When readers see them last, however, they are snuggled all in the same bed with their bunnies and one finger in each mouth, just as when they were babies. Bright color and lively line define their hair and their other attributes as the five figures inhabit the white space of the backgrounds.
Adorable—that just about sums it up. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: Sept. 1, 2015
ISBN: 978-1-921966-71-2
Page Count: 32
Publisher: EK Books
Review Posted Online: June 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 1, 2015
Who wouldn’t love spending time with a memorable grandmother like this?
Grandma’s so-called errors are enough to drive anyone gaga—but in the best possible way.
On Saturdays, when Gaga visits her 4-year-old grandchild—who narrates the story—she “makes lots of mistakes.” Sometimes she wears her fuzzy slippers on her ears. Or she and her grandchild switch their eyeglasses so neither of them can see a thing. Or she substitutes a chocolate bar for chewing gum, rationalizing, “Isn’t that gum? You can chew it.” Gaga sees nothing wrong in reading an upside-down book to the child. On treks to the park, the pair walk backward. Occasionally, the protagonist’s parents disapprove of Gaga’s ideas, such as feeding their child marshmallows before dinner or filling the tub to overflowing with soap bubbles. But grandchild and Gaga agree that “mistakes are fun, aren’t they?” This is a gently comical tribute to warm, deeply loving grandmother-grandchild relationships. Gaga clearly understands that adults can easily form close bonds with kids if they use humor, behave in a childlike manner themselves, and appreciate a youngster’s sense of wonder and absurdity. The message here is that more grown-ups should make the “mistake” of loosening up a bit. The dynamic pencil, watercolor, and gouache illustrations are as free-wheeling and entertaining as gray-haired Gaga, who is pale-skinned; the protagonists and the parents are brown-skinned.
Who wouldn’t love spending time with a memorable grandmother like this? (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: April 2, 2024
ISBN: 9780593529461
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Rocky Pond Books/Penguin
Review Posted Online: Jan. 20, 2024
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 15, 2024
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family.
For his debut picture book, teacher and activist Chasten Buttigieg draws inspiration from life with husband Pete Buttigieg, former U.S. transportation secretary.
The big day has finally arrived! Rosie and Jojo have been counting down the days until Papa comes home from his work trip. With a little help from Daddy, they make “welcome home” signs to greet Papa at the airport, pick flowers from the garden, and bake a “seven-layer chocolate cake with purple and yellow frosting.” Much to Daddy’s bemusement, the kids gather all of Papa’s favorite things, including his robe and slippers and their adorable pooch, Butter, as they walk out the door to pick up Papa from his travels. The author offers an affectionate portrait of the everyday domestic life of a same-sex family unit. While many kids and adults will be pleased to see their experiences reflected on the page, both the choppy writing and the flat digital artwork are fairly bland. Characters display similarly excited facial expressions throughout, while the portrayal of the children borders on overly cutesy at times, with intentionally misspelled signs throughout the house (“Papa’s Very Spechull Garden. Please do not tutch”). Like the author’s actual children, Rosie and Jojo are brown-skinned, while Daddy and Papa present white.
An affirming, though lackluster, look at a loving queer family. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: May 20, 2025
ISBN: 9780593693988
Page Count: 40
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Feb. 15, 2025
Kirkus Reviews Issue: March 15, 2025
BOOK REVIEW
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